BARBECUE TOFU SANDWICHES WITH PINEAPPLE RELISH

Barbecue Tofu Sandwiches With Pineapple Relish

INGREDIENTS

Pineapple Relish

• 2 tsp oil, divided
• 1 1/2 cups diced pineapple
• 1/2 cup minced shallot or red onion
• 1/4 cup minced red bell pepper
• 1 jalapeño or serrano, minced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp minced ginger
• zest from 1 lime
• 1 tbsp fresh lime juice (from 1 lime)
• 2 tbsp minced cilantro
• 1/2 tsp salt
• freshly ground black pepper to taste

Barbecue Sauce

• 1 cup ketchup
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp vegan Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 tsp hot sauce
• 2 tsp ground mustard
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp granulated onion powder
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• black pepper to taste

Everything Else

• 1 lb super firm or extra firm tofu
• oil to cook tofu
• avocado
• vegan mayonnaise
• bread or sandwich buns

INSTRUCTIONS

Make the pineapple relish:

1. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large skillet over medium heat and fry the pineapple until it's lightly charred, about 5 minutes. Remove from the pan and cool slightly before dicing.
2. Heat the second teaspoon of oil and add the shallot, bell pepper, hot pepper, garlic, and ginger. Sauté for 3-5 minutes, or until soft.
3. Combine the diced pineapple, the cooked shallot mixture, the zest from one lime, lime juice, cilantro, and salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired. Set aside or put in fridge until ready to use.

Make the barbecue sauce:

1. Whisk together all of the ingredients in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer, partially cover, then lower the heat and let simmer for 5-10 minutes to let the flavors meld.

Make the barbecue glazed tofu:

1. If using extra firm tofu, wrap the tofu in a lint free towel and place something heavy on top of the tofu to press out the excess water for about 20 minutes. Skip this step if using super firm tofu. Thinly slice the tofu.
2. Heat a fry pan or griddle over medium heat and spray or drizzle a little oil into the pan and working in batches fry the tofu in a single layer for a couple of minutes on each side, or until golden. Repeat until all tofu has been fried adding a little bit of oil between each batch. Then, brush a layer of barbecue sauce over each side of the fried tofu slices and cook for 1 minute on each side, repeating until all tofu has been glazed and seared.

Assemble the sandwiches:

1. Brush the outside of the slices of bread with a bit of olive oil, or the inside if using a sandwich roll. Place oiled side down on a hot skillet and let toast until golden in spots.
2. Spread vegan mayo on the inside of one piece of bread (or the bottom half of the bun), then layer barbecue glazed tofu, adding more barbecue sauce to with them. Top with pineapple relish, then spread mashed avocado on the other slice of bread (or top half of the bun) and close up the sandwich.

This article adapted from this site