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Jerk tofu and vegetables
Firm tofu, peppers and onion in a fiery allspice, thyme and scotch bonnet marinade, charred on the grill or in a hot oven (marinate 2 hours or overnight)
Jerk was born in the hills of Portland parish, where Maroon communities slow-cooked spiced meat over pimento wood, and Boston Bay is still its home today. The heart of it is the wet marinade: spring onion, thyme, scotch bonnet and plenty of pimento (allspice), blitzed into a coarse green-brown paste. Here it clings to slabs of pressed tofu and chunky vegetables that are charred until sticky at the edges, smoky, hot and fragrant. Serve with rice and peas, fried ripe plantain or festival and a squeeze of lime. Chef's tip: toast whole pimento berries in a dry pan and grind them yourself; ready-ground allspice tastes flat, and the warm clove-pepper perfume of fresh pimento is what makes jerk taste like jerk.
- Total time
- 50 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the jerk marinade
For the tofu and vegetables
To serve
Method
0/9 doneStep 1: Drain 1 ¾ lb extra-firm tofu, wrap it in a clean tea towel and set a heavy pan on top. Pressing out the water lets the tofu soak up the marinade instead of diluting it.
20 minStep 2: Meanwhile, toast 1 tbsp allspice (pimento) berries and 1 tsp black peppercorns in a dry frying pan over a medium heat, shaking, until they smell warm and clove-like and darken slightly. Don't let them smoke. Tip into a mortar or spice grinder and grind fairly fine.
2 minStep 3: Put the ground spices in a blender with 6 spring onions, 1 onion, 2 scotch bonnet peppers, 4 cloves garlic, ¾ in fresh ginger, 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves, ½ tsp ground cinnamon, ¼ tsp ground nutmeg, 1 tbsp brown sugar, 2 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tbsp lime juice, 2 tbsp vegetable oil and 1 tsp salt. Blend to a coarse, wet paste. Wear gloves when handling scotch bonnets and keep your hands away from your eyes; two seeded peppers give a lively heat, four with seeds give the full Boston Bay burn.
Step 4: Cut the pressed tofu into slabs about 1.5 cm thick. Put them in a dish with 1 red pepper, 1 yellow pepper, 1 red onion and 1 courgette, pour over the marinade and turn everything with your hands (gloved) until well coated.
Step 5: Cover and chill for at least 2 hours, or overnight for the deepest flavour. Turn once halfway.
120 minStep 6: Heat a grill or griddle pan until very hot, or heat the oven to 450°F (400°F fan) with a large tray inside. Lift the tofu and vegetables out of the marinade, letting the excess drip back, and toss the vegetables with 1 tbsp vegetable oil. Keep the leftover marinade.
Step 7: Grill or roast the tofu and vegetables in a single layer, without crowding, for 10–12 minutes, turning once, until the edges are charred and the tofu is crusted and dark brown. Crowding makes them steam and stay pale, so cook in batches if needed.
12 minStep 8: Simmer the leftover marinade in a small pan with 3 tbsp water for 3–4 minutes, until it no longer smells raw. Brush it over the hot tofu and vegetables and cook for 2 minutes more, so it caramelises into a sticky glaze.
6 minStep 9: Pile onto a platter and serve hot with 1 lime wedges for squeezing.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 330 kcal
- Protein
- 24 g
- Carbs
- 18 g
- Fat
- 18 g
- Fibre
- 5 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does jerk tofu and vegetables take?
- About 50 minutes in total: 25 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it very spicy?
- It has some heat. Use less chilli for a milder version, or more if you like it hot.
- What can I use instead of black peppercorns?
- Ground black pepper, a little less than the amount.
- What can I use instead of spring onions?
- Chives, or a little finely sliced onion.
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