Teriyaki Tofu and Plantains

First, lets talk plantains. This was my very first time a.) cooking plantains and b.) eating them. Everyone always says how plantains and bananas are nothing alike, but I beg to differ. At least the one I got; it was sweet and, raw, tasted very much like a very starchy banana. I lightly fried the thinly sliced plantain in a little canola oil. A word of caution: be careful not to let them go too long--the sugar tends to caramelize quickly and therefore burn (I flipped each plantain slice over for the photo...the other side is considerably darker.) I really enjoyed these plantains. They were sweet and slightly tangy, with a light crunch from the frying. I salted them, but I regretted it once I tasted them--they would have been perfect even without seasoning.

Next up is Nava Atlas's Teriyaki Tofu Triangles from Vegetarian Family Cookbook. The marinade consists of fresh ginger, soy sauce (I used Braggs), sesame oil, maple syrup (I used molasses instead), rice vinegar, and hoisin sauce (AKA Chinese Barbecue Sauce). First off, if you've never tried hoisin sauce, get on it! It's so good and adds a lot of flavor to the party. In fact, this marinade is so flavorful, you don't have to let the tofu sit in it for hours. 10 minutes is sufficient. I doubled the marinade because I like it saucy! I garnished with a little scallion. The last time I made this recipe, my mom and sister both loved it, as did I. It was just as delicious this time around.

Finally, to add some color and freshness to the plate, we have our loyal friend, broccoli.