Hoisin-Lacquered Tofu with Broccoli

Ingredients

• 1
  
  cup long-grain rice
  
• 1/4
  
  cup grapeseed or peanut oil
  
• 
  
  One 15-oz. block of tofu
  
• 1
  
  star anise pod
  
• 1
  
  teaspoon Szechuan peppercorns
  
• 1
  
  dried Asian red chile
  
• 3
  
  scallions, chopped
  
• 3
  
  cloves garlic, minced
  
• 2
  
  tablespoons cilantro, chopped
  
• 1/4
  
  cup Chinese light soy sauce (see headnote)
  
• 2
  
  tablespoons shao xing
  
• 2
  
  tablespoons hoisin
  
• 1 1/2
  
  tablespoons honey
  
• 8
  
  ounces broccoli rabe, washed, trimmed, and halved crosswise
  
• 2
  
  tablespoons crushed toasted peanuts, optional
  

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 425°. Pour the rice into a small pot and cover with 2 cups water.
2. Prepare the tofu: Gently squeeze the tofu to release some of its moisture, and lay it on one of its larger sides. Cut the tofu lengthwise into 4 and crosswise into 6. You should be left with 24 rectangular logs of tofu. Pat dry.
3. In a large (8-9”) non-stick or cast-iron pan or (even better) a wok, heat the oil until it shimmers. Taking care to protect your arms, add the tofu to the pan in a single layer. It will splatter furiously, but it’ll calm down eventually. If you have a splatter screen, this would be a great time to put it to use.
4. Fry that first side of each piece of tofu until golden, 3-4 minutes. Then turn the tofu pieces 180 degrees and fry the bottoms. The sides will gradually crisp up during cooking, but some pieces might need a third flip. When pieces are golden nearly all over, transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside. The whole thing should take around 10 minutes.(If using a wok, it’ll take much shorter.)

5. Cook the rice: Set the rice over medium heat and bring to a boil. As soon as it boils, cover the pan and transfer the rice to the oven. Set a timer for 17 minutes. When timer goes off, remove rice from the oven and set aside to cool for 5 minutes before fluffing with a fork.
6. Meanwhile, blanch the broccoli: set a saucepan full of water on high heat and bring to a boil. Add broccoli rabe and cook a scant 2 minutes, until bright green and still very crisp. Drain immediately and set aside.

7. Finish the sauce: Mix the soy sauce, shao xing, hoisin, and honey in a small bowl.

   If there’s oil left in the tofu pan, drain all but 1 tablespoon. Heat on high until oil shimmers again. Add star anise, peppercorns, and chile; they should sizzle immediately. Cook 10 seconds, until fragrant, then add scallions, garlic, and cilantro and cook 30 seconds more. Add soy sauce mixture, stir to combine, and cook 2 minutes, until it starts to thicken. Add the tofu back into the pan, turn to coat with the sauce, and let cook for 2 minutes more. Don’t worry: the tofu will stay plenty crisp, but it will absorb the sauce and its flavor. Add blanched broccoli to the pan, turn to coat with the sauce, and cook 1 minute more. If you can find the star anise pod, fish it out. Otherwise, warn your eating companion.

8. Serve: Portion rice into 2 bowls. Spoon tofu and broccoli over rice, and finish with a few spoonfuls of the reduced sauce and a sprinkle of crushed peanuts, if using. Serve immediately.