CambodianMedium · Hot
Eggplant and tofu share a sheet pan with generous coconut oil, turmeric, ginger, and garlic, the oven's dry heat doing what a stovetop cannot — roasting the moisture from the eggplant until it collapses into something silky and concentrated. Turmeric stains everything a deep yellow-gold, and the finished tray smells of ginger and the faintly sweet char that comes when garlic meets high heat.
20 min
30 min
5 min
55 min
Method
Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a large baking tray with parchment paper.
Slice yellow-onion into wedges. Cut bell-pepper into strips.
In a large bowl, whisk together coconut-oil, soy-sauce, brown-sugar, turmeric, salt, and black-pepper until the sugar dissolves.
Add eggplant, tofu, onion wedges, and bell-pepper strips to the bowl with the turmeric marinade. Toss gently until everything is evenly coated.
Spread the coated vegetables and tofu in a single layer on the prepared baking tray, making sure pieces do not overlap for optimal caramelization.
Nutri-Score
Excellent balance
A–E · lower is better · score -3
Calories
248
per serving
Protein
10g
Carbs
20g
Fat
17g
Sat. fat
12g
Fiber
5g
Sugar
8g
Sodium
391mg
Nutri-Score is a general nutritional-balance guide, not medical or dietary advice.
Environmental impact
Low impact
A–E · lower is better · includes estimates
kg CO2e
0.6
per serving
Water
0.5m³
Runoff
0.06g P
tofu drives 56% of this recipe’s estimated footprint.
Carbon from Poore & Nemecek 2018; water, land & runoff from Agribalyse — modelled averages for comparing recipes, not a measurement of your groceries.
Flavor Profile
Umami
Sweet
Salty
Sour
Bitter
Spicy
Textures
Aromas
Kitchen Equipment
Primary Tool
Baking TrayTechniques
Safety & Storage
Cooking Temperature
Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C) before roasting. Use an oven thermometer to verify accuracy, as inconsistent temperatures can affect both food safety and caramelization of the eggplant and tofu.
Handling
Press tofu thoroughly for 15-20 minutes before cubing to remove excess moisture. Moisture prevents proper browning and can cause steaming instead of roasting, affecting texture and safety.
Cross Contamination
Use separate cutting boards for vegetables and tofu. If also preparing raw meat or fish in the kitchen, maintain strict separation to prevent cross-contact with allergens.
Storage
Cool traybake to room temperature within 2 hours, then transfer to airtight container. Refrigerate within 2 hours. Consume within 3-4 days for optimal quality and safety.
Allergen Warning
This dish contains soy (tofu, soy sauce) and gluten (soy sauce). Use tamari or coconut aminos as gluten-free substitutes if needed. Verify all ingredient labels for hidden allergens.
High Risk Population
For pregnant individuals, elderly, or immunocompromised persons, ensure tofu reaches internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) and eggplant is fully tender throughout before consumption.
Equipment Safety
Use oven mitts when removing hot tray from oven. Tray and parchment paper retain significant heat and can cause burns if handled without proper protection.
Pro Tips
Technique
When arranging your vegetables on the baking tray, resist the urge to crowd them — giving each piece space allows the edges to caramelize and develop that sweet-savory crust we all love. Overlapping vegetables steam instead of roast, and you lose that beautiful texture.
Substitution
If you want to bring this closer to a traditional kroeung dish, whisk a tablespoon of fish sauce into the marinade alongside the soy sauce. The depth of umami it adds is remarkable, and my grandmother would approve.
From the chef
The oven does something to eggplant that no stovetop can: it pulls moisture slowly until the flesh collapses into a silky, concentrated thing that drinks in whatever surrounds it. Here that means turmeric, coconut oil, ginger, and garlic coating every cube of eggplant and pressed tofu before the tray goes in. The tofu edges turn golden and caramelized while the eggplant softens and deepens. Black pepper runs through the whole dish, and a final squeeze of lime over the hot tray wakes everything up. No mortar required — the sheet pan and the oven do the work.
Source: generated · May 30, 2026