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| Ummm…Our food stylist is on vacation! This was lunch today. It would look much better if the tofu sheets were reclining whole on snowy rice and artfully sprinkled with green. |
We’ve been eating a lot of this lately. It’s Erik’s favorite meal these days, in fact. I make it for him whenever he’s grumpy and he perks right up. I like it too, and I especially like that it’s fast cooking and I usually have all the ingredients on hand, so it’s pretty effortless.
I know, I know–there’s a lot of tofu haters out there, but this is really good–if you like spicy food.
The key to this is Korean chili powder, called Gochutgaru. You just can’t substitute other pepper flakes. We always have this spice on hand because it’s critical for making kim chi. (If you like kim chi you’ll love this dish!) If you have access to an Asian market, you’ll find Gochutgaru there. It’s sold in big bags and is pretty cheap. Look for bags full of fine red flakes with pictures of red peppers on the front.
Credit where credit is due: I’d eaten this style of tofu somewhere before and went looking for a recipe–and found one on the Blazing Hot Wok blog. This is an adaption of that, which was an adaptation from a cookbook, as I recall.
Ingredients:
- 1 package of firm tofu (Silken tofu works too, see instructions at the end)
- A few scallions/green onions, maybe 5 or more, depending how much you like them, chopped into 2 inch pieces.
- This is not cannon, but you could also throw in another veggie along with the green onions for variety. Lately I’ve been adding in a few chopped asparagus spears into the mix.
Sauce:
- 3 Tablespoons of soy sauce
- 3 Tablespoons water (equal amount to the soy sauce, however much you use)
- 2 Tablespoons of Korean chili powder (This is a whole lot of spice, but we like it that way. You could use much less.)
- 2-3 garlic cloves minced or pressed
- 1 teaspoon of sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon of sesame oil
- Maybe some wine if you have a bottle open. See instructions.
Optional:
- Toasted sesame seeds or peanuts for topping. Sesame is more traditional, but we really like peanuts with this.
Prep:
1) Cut the tofu block in 1/4-1/3″ slices. Press some of the water out of it by laying the slices out on a fresh kitchen towel or paper towels, putting more toweling on top and pressing gently with your hands–or by leaving it there under a weighted plate while you do the rest of the prep. This is not absolutely necessary, but the dish will come out better if you do it.
2) Chop up your green onions.
3) Combine the sauce ingredients above in a bowl. Since I use so much chili powder, the sauce can be pretty thick. For that reason I like to dilute it with a splash of wine (of any color) or water.
Cook:
Get out a big skillet. Heat a couple tablespoons of cooking oil in it and lay down the tofu slices. Cook them about 3 minutes each side over medium high heat, just so they’re nice and hot. Then add the green onions and cook a minute or two longer to soften them a bit.
Then add the sauce and cook it all together until the sauce simmers, tuning the tofu pieces so they get sauced on both sides. At that point it’s up to you to decide whether you want to cook the sauce down for a fairly dry presentation, or serve it right away while the texture is still “wet.” Either way it will be good.
Serve this over short-grained rice. Top with sesame seeds or peanuts if you’ve got ’em.
Silken Variation:
Silken Variation? Is that some sort of feminine product or a Kama Sutra position?
Anyway, if you’re a fan of silken tofu, as I am, you use that, too. You just do things in a different order. Heat up your skillet and add your green onion pieces and cook for a minute or so, then add the sauce and bring it to a simmer. Then add your silken tofu. Toss to cover with sauce then put a lid over the skillet, turn the heat down and let the tofu sort of steam/heat through gently. Takes about 5 minutes.
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FAQs
No one cares about unblocking a task as much as the person doing it. That's why it's important for that person to follow the Take Ownership and Follow Up (TOFU) principle. That means taking ownership of the task and chasing the people you are waiting on until it gets done.
Can you put firm tofu in soup? ›
Any kind of tofu is good for soups. It depends on the dish you are trying to make and your taste. In Korean tofu soups, you can use soft tofu; in some Chinese soups, you can use silken tofu. In Westernized tofu soups, you can use firm or extra firm tofu.
Do I have to press extra-firm tofu? ›
Do You Need to Press Tofu? Not all types of tofu need to be pressed. For example, Japanese-style silken tofu and Chinese-style soft tofu are not pressed. Firm and extra-firm tofu, which is typically sliced or cubed, should be pressed.
Is tofu good for your liver? ›
The soy-protein present in tofu helps to reduce the fat built in the liver. Tofu is one of the best foods for fatty liver. It is an essential source of protein to be included in your diet. Tofu is low in sugar and fat so this is an added advantage.
What not to eat with tofu? ›
What to not serve with tofu? According to studies, a high volume consumption of tofu and spinach together can increase your risk of kidney stones. Tofu and spinach contain calcium and oxalic acid respectively and the combined can form kidney stones.
Is Korean tofu soup good for weight loss? ›
Korean tofu soup is also known as kimchi jigae and it may be appropriate for weight loss due to its low calorie content. Check labels when available, as recipes vary from restaurant to restaurant.
Is Korean tofu soup healthy? ›
Soondubu jjigae has several health benefits. It's full of vegetables, offering a range of healthy nutrients, while tofu is packed full of protein. A bowl of tofu soup is surprisingly low calorie if it's vegetarian or vegan, although you should be mindful of the amount of oil you add to the broth.
Is Korean tofu soup low calorie? ›
This soup is made with just a touch of oil, low-sodium veggie broth, kimchi, (which is fermented and great for your gut health) and tofu. One bowl of this soup contains just 125 calories.
Can I eat tofu raw? ›
Eat it raw: Tofu is completely safe to eat raw. Whether you press it or marinate it, you can use raw tofu in salads, smoothies, or have it as a protein-packed snack. Marinating: Since tofu has a bland flavor, marinating it is very popular.
Does tofu go bad? ›
Use all your senses to tell if a food has gone bad by looking, touching and smelling the tofu. Spoiled tofu tends to have a darker color of tan or even brown. Mold may form on the surface or you may see discoloration. Tofu that has gone bad also tends to be slimy and have a sour or rotten odor – fresh tofu has no odor.
Tofu is technically already cooked, so it can be used in raw preparations. But for this crispy tofu soup recipe, I always cook the tofu first. For the crispiest tofu, be sure to press all the excess water out of the block before marinating. This gives the tofu a firm, crunchy outside but a soft, pillowy inside.
Can you microwave tofu instead of pressing? ›
Place tofu pieces or a block of tofu on a microwave-safe plate lined with paper towels or a kitchen towel and microwave the tofu in thirty-second increments for about two minutes, depending on the firmness of the tofu. Dry the tofu before using it to absorb any excess liquid on the surface of the tofu.
Can I freeze tofu? ›
For anyone asking: “Can you freeze tofu?”, the answer is a big yes! Freezing tofu helps lengthen its shelf-life and enhances the soy-based protein's texture. Just be sure to freeze uncooked tofu and take it out of the original packaging first.
Why do Americans press tofu? ›
If you cook firm tofu a lot, maybe you already know this: Pressing the tofu compresses it and squeezes out extra moisture, making it firmer and drier, which means you can get a more densely closegrained interior and wonderfully crisp exterior when you cook it.
What does tofu mean in content marketing? ›
ToFu (top-of-funnel) focuses on a high volume of leads, with an emphasis on not pressuring potential customers by offering relevant information that addresses a need, question or problem they may have. Content for this stage may include blogs, white papers and eBooks.
What does tofu mean top of funnel? ›
Top of Funnel, or ToFu, refers to content created for, or marketing actions performed at, the start of the buyer's journey. It's named in reference to the beginning (or top) of an organization's sales funnel. Some examples of ToFu include blog posts and eBooks.
Why do Buddhists eat tofu? ›
An important source of protein for monks
For the monks, who must abstain from meat, tofu is an important source of protein.
Does tofu count towards 5 a day? ›
Tofu does not count as a vegetable when scoring for 5 A Day. It is in the protein category of the food pyramid. Tofu is made from soy milk and unlike fruits, vegetables, and whole dried beans, it is low in fiber.
