Bulgogi Style Tofu - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 (16 ounce) package extra firm tofu
4 green onions, chopped (use white part too)
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 medium sized onion, sliced
1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger
2/3 cup soy sauce (or tamari)
4 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
6 tablespoons organic sugar (raw or turbinado)
1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
4 tablespoons mirin
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1/4 cup shredded pear, skin and all

Preparation

First, make sure your tofu is very well drained. Wrap it up in towels and press between two plates with something heavy on top to get all that water out(about an hour). I pressed mine for well over an hour. Freezing the tofu after draining is also an option if you're working with a flimsier tofu.
Once it has drained for a good long time, slice the block in half.
Then, make thin slices to the tofu to resemble little tofu steaks.
Arrange them in a dish where they will be able to soak up lots of marinade.
Cover the tofu slices with your chopped onions, green onions, ginger and garlic.
In medium sized bowl, combine the soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, black pepper, mirin, rice vinegar, red pepper flakes and shredded pear. Stir really well to complete mix all ingredients together. Pour over tofu and veggies.
Cover and place into the refrigerator. Let marinate at least 8 hours. It's really great to do this overnight... a little longer than 8 hours wont hurt anything. In fact, it may even help.
After 8 hours has passed, separate the tofu strips from the marinade. Reserve the veggies and sauce for cooking.
Heat up a cast iron skillet over medium heat and drizzle with some sesame oil.
When your skillet is nice and hot, place the strips into the pan in an even layer so that there is adequate room for them to fry up. When you place the tofu in the pan, it should sizzle. (I cooked my tofu in two batches).
Pour enough of the marinade onto the tofu just to cover, make sure some of those veggies get in there too.
Let cook until most of the marinade has reduced, and the bottoms of the tofu slices are nice and caramely brown. Flip over tofu strips and cook until other side turns brown. Continue to cook until all tofu has transformed into delicious Korean bulgogi tofu.
Serve over rice.