How to Grill Tofu

For millions of Japanese, a barbecue just wouldn’t be complete without grilled tofu. Wildly popular in Japan, it is served at rough-and-tumble yakitori parlors, tranquil Zen teahouses, and even at highfalutin restaurants. The traditional “barbecue sauce” for grilled tofu is a creamy, sweet-salty miso sauce, but you can also order it with umeboshi (pickled plum) sauce or a teriyaki sauce, like the one below. Taking on the grill flavors, as well as those in the marinade, grilled tofu makes a savory main dish that will please all guests, not just vegetarians.