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| nutritional information (per serving) | |
|---|---|
| 367 | calories |
| 28g | Fat |
| 15g | carbohydrates |
| 19g | protein |
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| nutritional information | |
|---|---|
| Servings: 4 | |
| amount per serving | |
| calories | 367 |
| % Daily Value* | |
| 28g | 36% |
| Saturated Fat 3g | 14% |
| 0mg | 0% |
| 245 mg | 11% |
| 15g | 5% |
| dietary fiber 3g | 10% |
| total sugar 4g | |
| 19g | |
| Vitamin C 18 mg | 91% |
| Calcium 500 mg | 38% |
| iron 4 mg | 22% |
| Potassium 371 mg | 8th % |
| *The % Daily Value (DV) indicates how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories per day is used for general nutritional advice. | |
(Nutritional information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)
Hearty, slightly sweet, tangy, creamy and aromatic – this elegant yet simple tofu pot roast has all the important flavor components. Sweet white miso gives it body and a sweet, savory depth, while sambal oelek provides a tangy, bright pungency. Wintry citrus fruits add freshness and coriander seeds mirror the floral brightness of orange.
The technique: fry, then simmer
Frying tofu and then simmering it in a spicy sauce is a traditional Asian technique for preparing hearty, flavorful tofu dishes, such as those found in Korean dubu jorim. I like the technique of frying and simmering tofu in spices because it's a quick and easy way to add lots of texture and flavor without having to marinate or freeze it. I keep tofu in the fridge for an easy, delicious protein that I can make in minutes.
How to serve stewed tofu
This recipe tastes delicious served with roasted Korean sweet potatoes and sautéed vegetables or with jasmine rice and cucumber salad.
“With a good pinch of spice and a pretty color, this dish is really fun to make. Mochiko are found in most Asian markets and I recommend avoiding them as there are many other great dishes you can make with them.” — Noah Velush-Rogers
Two 12-ounce blocks extra tight tofudrained
2 to 3 tablespoon sweet white rice flour (Mochiko)
1/2 Cup fresh orange juicefrom two large oranges
1 tablespoon Sambal Oelek chili paste
Neutral oil for frying, such as grapeseed oil
One 1 1/2 x 1 1/2 in Piece fresh gingerpeel and cut into matchsticks
4 cloves Garlicthinly sliced
2 teaspoon ground coriander
2 tablespoon White miso paste
Orange slices, optional
Fresh sprigs of coriander
Gather the ingredients.
The Spruce Eats / Preethi Venkatram
Place the blocks of tofu on an inverted plate, then place another plate, right side up, on top of the block of tofu and weigh down the top plate with a large can or heavy plate. Place the plates in the sink or somewhere that allows water to drain without making a mess. Squeeze the tofu for about 15 minutes until water stops oozing out of the sides. If the tofu is pressed for too long or with too heavy a weight, it can lose its integrity and fall apart during cooking.
The Spruce Eats / Preethi Venkatram
After the tofu is drained, pat dry on a clean kitchen towel or paper towel. Cut the tofu into 1/2 inch thick pieces, which should yield about 10 pieces per block.
The Spruce Eats / Preethi Venkatram
Place the rice flour in a small bowl and place a rimmed baking sheet large enough to hold all of the sliced tofu in a single layer next to the bowl.
The Spruce Eats / Preethi Venkatram
Dip the tofu piece by piece into the rice flour. Spread a thin layer of rice flour on the tofu on all sides. Place the dredged tofu on the baking sheet and continue with the remaining pieces until all pieces are covered.
The Spruce Eats / Preethi Venkatram
Combine orange juice and sambal with 1/2 cup water in a liquid measuring cup.
The Spruce Eats / Preethi Venkatram
Heat a large wok or 25cm cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, add enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan 1/2 inch. Heat the oil until it begins to shimmer.
The Spruce Eats / Preethi Venkatram
Carefully place as many tofu pieces as you can fit in one layer into the hot oil without touching them. Fry the tofu without turning until golden and crispy on the first side. A golden color and rougher texture will begin to show around the edges, and the oil will be visible, bubbling slightly through the center of the tofu as it cooks. This should take about 3 minutes.
The Spruce Eats / Preethi Venkatram
Flip the tofu and cook on the second side for another 2 to 3 minutes until golden and crispy. The texture looks slightly rough and the rice flour looks almost like sand. Return the fried tofu to the baking sheet and fry the rest of the tofu.
The Spruce Eats / Preethi Venkatram
When all of the tofu is fried, pour out the remaining oil from the wok, leaving a thin layer of oil. If there is a lot of rice flour in the wok, gently wipe it out with a cotton paper towel or kitchen towel and add a tablespoon of fresh oil.
The Spruce Eats / Preethi Venkatram
Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the ginger and garlic. Cook until fragrant and the garlic is beginning to turn golden.
The Spruce Eats / Preethi Venkatram
Add the cilantro to the wok and cook, stirring, until the cilantro is fragrant. Continue cooking, stirring, until the garlic is lightly browned.
The Spruce Eats / Preethi Venkatram
Gently pour the orange juice and sambal mixture into the hot wok, stirring to scrape any cooked bits off the bottom of the pan. Let the mixture simmer until reduced by about a quarter.
The Spruce Eats / Preethi Venkatram
Stir the miso into 1/4 cup water and stir into the liquid in the wok.
The Spruce Eats / Preethi Venkatram
Return the fried tofu to the pan and turn so that it is completely covered with sauce. Turn the heat down to low and cover the pan. Cook until the tofu has absorbed some of the sauce and the sauce has reached the consistency of a gravy, about 5 minutes.
The Spruce Eats / Preethi Venkatram
Place the tofu and sauce on a serving platter and garnish with fresh orange slices (if using) and fresh coriander.
The Spruce Eats / Preethi Venkatram
recipe tips
- The sliced garlic and ginger add texture and lots of flavor to the sauce. For a smoother sauce and less impact, grate garlic and ginger instead.
- This sauce is slightly spicy. To reduce the heat, add just a teaspoon of sambal at first, then experiment and add more as needed, or simply pass sambal around the table for guests to add to their liking.
- The tofu can be fried without rice flour. The texture will be a bit tougher and less crispy, but will still stand up to stewing in the sauce. Simply pat the tofu very dry and fry as instructed in the recipe. All-purpose flour and starches like cornstarch absorb more of the casserole resulting in a different texture in the end product; They are not recommended for this application.
- A well-seasoned, heavy-duty steel wok is ideal for frying and braising this dish. I use a flat-bottomed wok suitable for cooking on the home stovetop. A well-seasoned cast iron skillet will work, as will a slow cooker. The sauce will evaporate more quickly when cooking in the cast iron skillet, so the cooking time will need to be adjusted accordingly.
- To test the heat of flat cooking oil, place the tip of a wooden skewer or the handle of a wooden spoon in the oil. When the oil is hot enough to start cooking, small bubbles will quickly rise from the wood.
- When placing food in hot oil, always carefully lower it to the surface of the oil so that the last part that goes into the oil is facing away from you. This way, when the oil gets into the oil, it will splash away from your hands and body.
- When frying the tofu, it is important that the pan does not get too full. If the tofu touches while frying, the pieces will fuse together. If the pan is too full, the temperature will drop too much and the tofu will be mushy and oily instead of crispy and light.
recipe variations
- Brown rice flour can serve as a substitute for sweet white rice flour.
- The recipe can be made with tangerines, blood oranges, or any other sweet, juicy citrus fruit.
- White miso is a sweet, lightly fermented miso with a creamy texture. It lends itself well to this pot roast as it is quick to cook and adds a natural sweetness and umami while thickening the sauce. Any type of miso paste can be used instead, but darker types of miso will provide a stronger flavor.
How to store it
Store leftover tofu in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Go on
You can press and slice the tofu a day in advance. Keep refrigerated in an airtight container until ready to use.
