Most recipes serve multiple people. In Me, Myself, and Dinner, each dish serves one and only one. That’s you! Because whether you live solo (almost 30% of Americans do) or are enjoying a night to yourself, sitting down to a meal should be something to look forward to.
On those rare evenings when I’m alone, I’m doing the bare minimum. An empty calendar with zero obligations to anyone or anything? That is a gold star night in my book. I spend most of my time pouring my energy into loved ones, whose growth I feel personal responsibility for. I am a cheerleader, a hype man, a veritable human charger.
It can feel like a lot. As a mother, a partner, a daughter, a colleague, a friend. I try to give my best, both for my own benefit and to ensure everyone moves toward their full potential. This is not a unique position, but at the end of the day, I often feel like an edamame pod, emptied of its innards as everyone else sucks the goodness out of the shell.
How I regain my balance and recoup my
How I regain my balance and recoup my energy is by making sure I have dedicated blocks of me time. Of course, easier said than done when you have a family to take care of. But to show up as my best self, I have to take care of myself too. Sometimes all I want is a simple meal that’s entirely my own. Maybe it’s reverting to a college-era sustenance of popcorn and a crisp Diet Coke. Or a take-out sushi order getting just what I want (no sharing). Or sipping an ice cold martini with an even colder sheet mask on my face while comfort-watching the same episode of Law & Order: SVU for the 11th time.
Usually it’s a single block of wobbly tofu. As of writing this, midsummer, there have already been a good number of days exceeding 90 degrees, and don’t get me started on the humidity. It’s been a hot, muggy (though joyous!) summer. When I’m pushing my window-unit AC to its limits, I take pleasure in preparing a cool protein-rich dish that will tickle my taste buds and require zero cooking. It’s modeled after Japanese hiyayakko and Sichuan liangban tofu, and it couldn’t be easier.
The hardest part is unearthing the silken tofu from its package, but I’ve got some tips for that. You can flip the container (after giving it a rinse) and snip the four corners with a pair of scissors; this will break the vacuum seal, helping to dislodge the block. Or you can look for cylindrical silken tofu, often sold at Korean markets like H Mart (labeled “soon tofu”), which you can slice in half, then squeeze out the two sides, or simply cut one end and squeeze or spoon out.
After you’ve plated your tofu, you’ll quickly whisk
After you’ve plated your tofu, you’ll quickly whisk up a simple dressing: soy sauce, vinegar, chili crisp, and scallions. A bit of water helps dilute it to sippable levels. The spicy tofu is delicious spooned and slurped up in one go, or enjoyed alongside a bowl of rice, cold soba noodles, or a heap of smashed or julienned cucumbers. (And if you’re feeling a bit gun-shy about fresh produce, you can skip the scallions.)
Sometimes it’s nice to have something all to yourself. Whether that’s an entire block of tofu or an evening binge-watching Off Campus. Or why not both?
Cold Silken Tofu With Chili Crisp Dressing
A cool, custardy treat for the hottest days and beyond.
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More cooking for one
- This Underrated Steak Cut Is Perfect for a Solo Meal
- 5 Cookbooks for Joyful Solo Cooking
- The Single-Serve Salmon I Love From Trader Joe’s
Source: www.bonappetit.com
