Vietnamese Tofu with Cucumber Slaw

Prepare cucumber slaw: peel every other 1/2 inch of cucumber lengthwise (it will look striped), then grate using a food processor or a box grater. Squeeze to remove excess liquid. Mix with rice vinegar and jalapeno and set aside or refrigerate until ready to assemble the dish.

Prepare tofu: pat tofu dry, then cut into about 2 x 2 x 1/4 inch pieces. Lay flat on a cookie sheet and freeze for at least 1 hour, then remove and thaw (about 30 minutes).

Marinade: while tofu is thawing, whisk together soy sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, water, garlic, chili sauce, anchovy paste, honey, 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, and cinnamon. Place thawed tofu and marinade in a Ziploc bag and move around so all the tofu is covered. Let sit for at least 20 minutes.

Cook: while tofu is marinating, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil over medium high heat in a large skillet. Add green pepper and cook until just beginning to soften. Remove from skillet. Using tongs, lay 1/2-1/3 of tofu pieces in one layer in the skillet, reserving marinade. Cook for about 5 minutes, until the bottom is brown and caramelized. Flip and cook until brown, about 3 more minutes. Remove and repeat until all the tofu is cooked. Turn heat down to low, then add cooked tofu and green peppers and reserved marinade. Cook over low heat until sauce is slightly thickened. Serve over brown rice and top with about 1-2 tablespoons of cucumber slaw.