Honey, Soy and Ginger Braised Tofu
When was the last time you visited your local library? With digital downloads and same day Amazon delivery, it may be awhile but I encourage you to stop by. I recently popped into our library, which had been closed for renovations and was surprised by the dynamic environment. Librarians were answering questions and making recommendations; every work/study cubicle was occupied; glass-encased rooms were being utilized for group work and of course, the books. Featured Books, New Arrivals, Lucky You–No Advance Hold Necessary. As I was halfway through a book I was enjoying (one I bought, of course), I wandered over to the cookbook section and started browsing. I ended up drawn to a book that I had considered purchasing several times and decided to give it a try. Honey, Soy and Ginger Braised Tofu was the first recipe that I made from East by Meera Sodha and I already have the next recipe queued up.
I ended up doubling the recipe below to serve to four adults and served it over sushi rice with sautéed broccolini on the side. It was delicious and my only disappointment was that there were no leftovers. The surprise ingredient here is the pear which as Sodha says, “adds a lovely body and a sweetness to the dish” and I couldn’t agree more. Lucky for us, pears are in peak-season, so I encourage you not to miss out.
Go ahead and give this tofu a try. It is absolutely delicious. Enjoy!
Honey, Soy and Ginger Braised Tofu
Ingredients
- 10 oz extra-firm tofu
- 2 Tbls soy sauce
- 1 1/2 Tbls honey
- 3 cloves garlic crushed
- 1/2 inch ginger peeled and grated
- 1 Bartlett pear grated
- 4 green onions finely chopped, whites and greens separated
- 2 Tbls toasted sesame oil
- 1 1/2 tsp gochujang paste
- 2 Tbls canola oil
- sesame seeds for serving
Instructions
- Lightly press the tofu block between your hands over the sink to get rid of as much water as possible, then wrap in paper towels and set aside.
- Place the soy sauce, honey, garlic, ginger, pear, green onion whites, sesame oil, gochujang and 1 Tbls water into a bowl and whisk to mix. Remove tofu from the paper towels and cut into 1/2-inch slices.
- Coat the bottom of a non-stick skillet with the canola oil and line a plate with a couple of sheets of paper towel. Heat the oil until it reaches smoking point and fry tofu slices for 8 minutes, turning halfway, until golden brown on both sides. Remove the tofu to the paper-lined plate, allowing the excess oil to be absorbed.
- Remove all but a Tbls of the oil from the pan. Add the soy mixture and stir for a minute, then put the tofu back in the pan and cook for 5 minutes until the sauce reduces and becomes glossy and thick.
- Serve tofu with sauce poured over the top and sprinkled with sesame seeds and remaining green onions.