Recipe: Quesadillas with a Korean twist

MANILA, Philippines — Have you been eating healthy? One fool-proof health food to turn to is tofu, which has a very neutral taste, so it takes on the flavors of whatever ingredients you marinate or cook it with.

Talented chef Him Uy de Baron often uses tofu in his dishes and he has taken the versatile tofu and given it a Korean twist in BBQ Tofu and Kimchi Quesadillas, a dish he came up with when he had his Korean-inspired restaurant in 2016. 

Quesadillas may be Mexican in origin, but much like the Italian pizza, it is so versatile that it can go perfectly with ingredients from other cuisines, such as Kimchi, which is iconic Korean. Mexican and Korean. Tofu, kimchi and cheese. It’s light and healthy — and, most importantly, delicious, too.

BBQ Tofu and Kimchi Quesadillas

INGREDIENTS:

For the marinade:

1 tsp. Gochujang

2 tsps. soy sauce

1/2 tsp. brown sugar 

For the quesadilla:

1/2 block tofu

2 pcs. flour tortillas

1/2 cup ricotta cheese

1 cup spinach, blanched, drained and chopped

1 tbsp. sliced onion

1/2 cup kimchi, drained and chopped

1/2 cup grated cheese

Oil for brushing

 PROCEDURE:

1. Combine all the ingredients for the marinade. Mix well, then marinate tofu in the mixture for at least 1 hour.

2. When the mixture is ready to cook, slice tofu into 1/2-inch slabs. Heat the grill and grill marinated tofu for 2 minutes on each side. Cut into two or three wide strips.

3. Spread Ricotta cheese on half of a flour tortilla.

4. Top with chopped spinach.

5. Sprinkle with onion.

6. Top with kimchi.

7. Add tofu strips over it.

8. Top with grated cheese.

9. Fold the tortilla over to form a half moon shape. Press down.

10. Brush top of tortilla with oil.

11. Grill. Flip over and grill the other side.

12. Repeat process with the other flour tortilla.

*Makes 2 quesadillas.

RELATED: Recipe: Korean-style Tater Tots