Braised Tofu Korean Style

You may not know this, but I love tofu. One of my all time favorite ways to prepare tofu is to braise it in a spicy sesame, garlic sauce with toasted sesame seeds. It has a savory crispy exterior with a soft creamy flavorful interior. This can be eaten with rice or noodles. And can be served as a side dish or main course.

Course Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine Asian, Korean

Keyword easy, quick, tasty, tofu side

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 30

Total Time 45

Servings people

Calories 122kcal

Author Dr. Wendy Dearborne

Equipment

Skillet, turner spatula
Bowl, whisk
Cutting Board & knife

Ingredients

14 oz tofu firm patted dry cut into 12 thin square slices
1/2 cup water
2 tsp sugar
3 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
1/2 tbsp garlic minced
1/2 cup onion minced
1-2 tsp chili flakes, Korean
1/4 tsp sesame seeds
1/3 cup spring onions chopped

Instructions

To make the braising liquid, place 1/2 cup of water in a bowl. Add the sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, chili flakes and sesame seeds. Whisk until thoroughly combined and set to the side.
Drain and rinse tofu. Pat dry.
Turn tofu lengthwise and cut into half. Then cut into 1/4" squares. One 14 oz block of firm tofu will yield approximately 18 - 20 squares.
Lay cut tofu on kitchen paper or a towel. Pat dry again.
Put oil into the skillet and turn on to medium high heat. Lay all the tofu in the skillet, you don't have to wait for the oil to get hot. Fry on one side until golden and crispy. Approximately 8 - 10 minutes. Turn over and fry the other side until crispy and golden. Remove from the skillet and drain on kitchen paper.
Using the oil left in the skillet, add onions, garlic and spring onions, reserving 1 tsp of spring onions for garnish later. Stir fry until the onions and garlic have caramelized and are a light golden brown.
Pour the braising liquid into the hot skillet with caramelized onions and garlic. Bring to a boil. Then cook on medium high heat until liquid has evaporated by half and thickened.
Put the crispy tofu back into the skillet with braised sauce. Stir and coat each tofu square completely.
Sprinkle with reserved green onions and more sesame seeds if desired.
Serve with rice as a main course or as a side dish.

Notes

You can cut the tofu into whatever shape and thickness you desire. The main goal is to make sure that the exterior is golden and crispy before you braise it.

Nutrition