Miso Soup with Clams

Recipe adpated from "The Family Meal" 

Make miso soup.  Add clams and cook until the clams open.  Fish out the clams with a slotted spoon.  Place the clams on top of diced silken tofu in a bowl.  Add 1/2 block of silken tofu and blend until creamy and smooth.  Carefully ladle soup over the clams and tofu. 

Tofu Steak

Ingredients

1firm tofu, sliced into 1/2 inch slices

handful of mushrooms (I used shiitake and bunashimeji)

1 cup dashi broth

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1/4 cup green onions, chopped

couple pinches of dried chilies

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1/2 tablespoon sugar

flour for dusting tofu

cooking oil

Direction

1. Lightly dust tofu slices with flour.  

2. Heat up 1 tablespoon of oil to a large nonstick pan over medium high heat.  Brown tofu slices.

3. Pan fry the tofu slices until each side is crispy and brown.  

4. In a small sauce pan, add sauce soy, dashI broth, mushrooms, sugar, and chili peppers.  Cook over medium heat for 5 mintues.

5. In a small bowl, combine 1 tablespoon of the sauce in step #4 with a tablespoon of cornstarch.  Mix well and add to the the sauce.  Cook for another 2-3 minutes.

6. Pour the sauce over the tofu slices.  Garnish with chopped green onions.

Homemade Tofu

homemade tofu with hijiki salad

Recipe adapted from Food & Wine July11

Ingredients

1 1/3 cup dried soybeans

nigiri

blender

cheesecloth

Cover soybeans with 3 inches of cold water and let stand overnight.

They should look like this the next morning.  Nice and plump!

Drain and transfer to a blender.  Add 3 cups filtered water and puree at high speed until as soomth as possible.

Line a large sieve with 3 layers of cheesecloth and set the sieve over a large bowl.  In a large pot, boil 3 cups filtered water.  Add pureed soybean and boil over medium high heat for 10 minutes, stirring constantly.

Pour the mixture into the seive.  Let stand until for 20 minutes.  Gather the ends of cheesecloth and squeeze to extract as much of the soy milk as possible.  Skim off any foam from the milk.

In a small bowl, dissovle 1 teaspoon nigari flakes in 1/4 cup filtered water.  Add 2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons of the nigiri solution in a large bowl.  In a large saucepan, heat 4 cups soy milk to 185 degrees.  Pour hot milk into the bowl with the nigari solution and stir.  Cover and let stand for 5 minutes.  Set a cheesecloth-lined mold with drainage over a bowl, and pour the tofu mixture into it.  Neatly fold the overhanging cheesecloth over the tofu and top with a small plate to press out excess water.  I let it drain for 20 minutes, but you can leave it up to 2 hours.  I washed the tofu in cold water for a few minutes to get rid of the bitter taste of nigari solution.

 

Perilla Leaf Tofu Jun (깻잎두부전)

Pan-fried perilla leaves stuffed with tofu, shiitake mushroom, carrots, and corn.

Perilla leaves from my mom's garden. :-)

Lightly flour each leaf.  Place a spoonful of the tofu stuffing.  (Season the stuffing with soy sauce, sesame oil, and salt & white pepper.)  Fold it into a triagle and dip into egg wash.

 Pan fry over medium low heat.

Tofu with String & Faba Beans

Same recipe as Tofu & Chinese Broccoli but with string and faba beans. :-)

Tofu with Snap Peas, Shiitake, and Scallions

Recipe adapted from whole living magazine.

serves 4

Ingredients

1 14 oz block soft tofu, quartered

1 tsp vegetable oil

4 oz sugar snap peas, thinly sliced

2 scallions, thinly sliced, greens and whites separated

4 fresh shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes or gochugaru

1 Tsp sesame seeds

1 small clove garlic, minced

1 1/2 tsp sesame oil

1 1/2 Tbsp reduced-sodium soy sauc

1/2 tsp sugar

1 Tbsp rice vinegar

coarse salt

Directions

1) In a medium pot, cover tofu with water and bring to a gentle simmer.  Remove from heat and drain.

2) Using the same pot, heat oil over medium heat.  Add peas, shiitake, and scallion whites and saute, stirring, for 2 minutes.

3) Mix in scallion greens, red pepper flakes, sesame seeds, garlic, sesame oil, soy sauce, sugar, and 1 Tbsp vinegar.  Season with salt.

4) Divide tofu among bowls. Top with pea mixture (and mustard flowers).

Soy Milk Tofu - Attempt #1...failed!

Here's is the link to the recipe I used : How to make tofu at home

5 cups of soy milk = 1 SHEET of tofu. :(

Doesn't this look really sad?

Tofu Steak

Recipe adapted from Everyday Harumi

serves 4

Ingredients
1 lbs 5 oz soft tofu
salt & pepper
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 oz fresh ginger, grated
2 scallions , finely sliced
4-5 tablespoons all-purpose flour - for coating
3-4 tablespoons vegetable oil
katsuobushi to garnish
soy sauce

Directions
1. Drain the tofu and cut into four pieces.  Wife off any excess water with paper towel.
2. Season the tofu on both sides with salt and pepper adn then spread with the minced garlic.
3. Lightly coat the tofu pieces in flour.
4. Heat a little oil in a skillet and when hot add the tofu, cooking until it is crspy and browned on both sides.
5. Serve with the grated ginger, scallions, and katsuobushi on top.  Finish by dressing with soy sauce

mapo tofu w/ ground turkey

I discovered something new about myself today....I do not like Sichuan-peppercorn.

Ingredients
for sauce:
1/4 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons hot bean paste
2 tablespoons soy sauce
Additive-free kosher salt to taste

1 lb regular or soft (not silken) tofu, drained and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons corn, peanut, or canola oil
1/2 lb ground pork shoulder (preferably 75% lean) - i used ground turkey instead
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon finely minced garlic
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon finely minced peeled fresh ginger
1 tablespoon cornstarch dissolved in 2 tablespoons water
1 1/2 teaspoons Japanese sesame oil
1/2 to 1 teaspoon toasted Sichuan-peppercorn powder
3 tablespoons thinly sliced scallion

Directions
Make sauce:
Stir together broth, bean paste, soy sauce, and kosher salt. Set aside.
Poach tofu:
Slide tofu into a saucepan of simmering water and keep at a bare simmer while stir-frying rest of dish.
Stir-fry pork:
Heat a wok or large heavy skillet over high heat until hot and add 1 1/2 tablespoons corn oil, swirling to coat. Add pork and stir-fry, breaking up lumps and adding remaining 1/2 tablespoon corn oil if meat sticks, until no longer pink. Add garlic and ginger and stir-fry over moderate heat until very fragrant, about 2 minutes.
Finish stir-fry:
Stir reserved sauce, then add to pork and bring to a simmer. Drain tofu in a large sieve and slide into sauce, stirring gently.
Stir cornstarch mixture and add to stir-fry. Bring to a boil, stirring gently, and cook until thickened and glossy, about 15 seconds.
Turn off heat and sprinkle with sesame oil, Sichuan-peppercorn powder to taste, and 2 tablespoons scallion. Stir once or twice, then serve sprinkled with remaining tablespoon scallion.

recipe by Katie Morford, Bon Appétit April 2000

tofu & chinese broccoli

mix a little sugar in my...stir fry

Serves 2-3

Ingredients
1 (14-ounce) container firm tofu
1 bunch Chinese broccoli or 1 1/2 bunches broccolini, about 14 ounces
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 to 2 tablespoons black bean garlic sauce, such as Lee Kum Kee
1 tablespoon mirin
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup vegetable oil
Salt to taste
2 teaspoons minced garlic
(i might add 1 teaspoon of sugar next time)

Instructions
Drain the tofu and slice into even 1/2-inch-thick slabs. Place the slices on a clean cutting board, then place the cutting board (with the slices still on it) inside a baking sheet (to catch water). Prop up the cutting board on an angle by placing a rolled towel on one end. Top with another cutting board or glass baking pan, then weight down with a kettle filled with water, or several cans. Leave to drain for at least 10 minutes.Meanwhile, separate the Chinese broccoli into stems, trim the stems and peel if woody. Cut into thirds, the top third being the leafy greens. Separate the stems and leaves. (If using broccolini, trim and cut into thirds.)
Combine the soy sauce, bean sauce, mirin and cornstarch with 2 tablespoons water in a small bowl.
When the tofu has drained, cut each slice into 4 cubes. Lightly dust the cubes in the flour, shaking off the excess.Heat the oil over medium heat in a wok for 1-2 minutes or until small bubbles start to form, then add the tofu in batches until fried and lightly golden, about 2 minutes per side. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon or spatula onto a pan covered in paper towels. Sprinkle with salt.
Drain all but 1 tablespoon of the oil from the pan, then increase heat slightly and add the garlic and Chinese broccoli stalks (or all of the broccolini, if using). Stir-fry until just tender, 2-3 minutes. Add the leafy tops of the Chinese broccoli and stir-fry another 2 minutes. Add the sauce, stir until it comes to a simmer and thickens slightly, then add the tofu. Gently toss or fold the tofu into the other ingredients until covered with sauce.

recipe by Tara Duggan @ SF Chron

chilled tofu

hiyaykko
x
serves 4
x
Ingredients
1 block well chilled silken tofu (350g)
1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions
a large handful bonito flakes
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
daikon radish sprouts
soy sauce
x
Directions
1. Cut the tofu into 12 pieces and arrange in a serving bowl.
2. Arrange daikon srpouts on top of the tofu, sprinkle with the scallions and bonito flakes, and top with grated ginger.
3. Drizzle with soy sauce immediately before eating.

this recipe is from 'izakaya, the japanese cookbook' by mark robinson