Spicy Braised Tofu Recipe
by Da-Hae West
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Easy
This is another dish that I have often – it’s great for lunch or dinner and really only takes minutes to make. The frying step is actually optional – it gives the tofu more bite and when I cooked this dish for a cookery class, the class was split, with a few preferring the texture of the fried version. At home though, I often skip this step and simply put the tofu straight into the pan with the sauce and simmer for a silkier, softer tofu, but I’ve included the frying step here in case you prefer your tofu to have more texture.
Balli Balli by Da-Hae West, published by Ryland Peters & Small (£22) Photography by Clare Winfield © Ryland Peters & Small
Ingredients for Spicy Braised Tofu Serves: 2
Ingredients for Sauce
- 3 tbsp Korean soy sauce
- 1 tbsp gochugaru (Korean red pepper flakes)
- 1 tbsp mirin
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 1. tsp caster sugar
- 1 tsp crushed garlic
- ¼ tsp ground white pepper
How to make Spicy Braised Tofu
- Place the tofu onto a plate and rest another plate on top. Place something heavy on top and leave for about 10 minutes to squeeze out all the extra water from the tofu.
- Meanwhile, mix together the sauce ingredients with 150 ml water in a small bowl.
- Pat the tofu dry and then slice into large rectangles, around 1 cm/½ inch thick. Season with the salt
- Place a large frying pan over a medium-high heat with the vegetable oil. Carefully lay the tofu into the pan and fry on each side for 2 minutes.
- Add the onion, chilli, spring onion (saving some of the green part for garnishing) and sauce. Bring to the boil, and then reduce the heat to a simmer for 10 minutes.
- Serve garnished with spring onions and with freshly steamed rice.
About the author
Da-Hae West is a Korean cookery teacher, recipe writer and author of Eat Korean. She has a wealth of experience promoting Korean food, closely working with the Korean Cultural Centre and Korean Tourism Organisation, as well as using her expertise on TV productions.
