Plated Poetry

Pan Fried Tofu with Red Pepper

Arvind Balaji -

This recipe is my humble recreation of my favorite dish from a local restaurant. I could just eat the whole order by itself without a need for any rice. This is a glorified version of a traditional Korean dish called Dubu Jorim. This one uses Korean coarse chili powder called Gochugaru. You can easily find it in any Asian Grocery or on Amazon. The water chestnut gives a great crunch to the dish.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 medium Yellow onion, finely diced
  • 6–8 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 red bell pepper, chopped
  • 6–8 green onions, thinly sliced, white and green parts separated
  • Optional
  • Vegetables- Carrot, Baby corn, Water Chestnut. (I included them to make a close replica of the restaurant version)
  • 1 package, firm, or extra-firm tofu
  • vegetable oil, for frying
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  • 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
  • 2 tablespoons gochugaru (The Crushed Red Pepper Used to make Kimchi. Get the Spiciest Version)
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons vegan oyster sauce
  • 1/2 – 1 cup water

Directions

  1. Press the tofu to remove all the excess water. I usually place it between 2 plates and keep a heavy object on top of it. Leave it for 1 hour and then blot it with a paper towel. Cut it into triangles and pan fry them with a few tsp of oil until they brown on both sides.
  2. In a small bowl, whisk together sesame seeds, brown sugar, soy sauce, vegan oyster sauce, gochugaru, and 1/2 cup water. Set aside.
  3. In a skillet or wok, heat at least 1/2" of vegetable oil.
  4. Fry tofu for 3-4 minutes per side, or until golden brown and crisp. Remove to a wire rack or a paper towel-lined plate. Work in 2-3 small batches to keep the oil at a consistent temperature. Be careful when lowering tofu into the oil as it tends to splatter.
  5. Set fried tofu aside and heat sesame oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat.
  6. Stir-fry onion, garlic, red bell pepper, carrots, and the white parts of the green onions for 3-5 minutes, until the mixture starts to brown. Then add baby corn and water chestnut. Fry for a few minutes more.
  7. Add in fried tofu, then pour in the sauce ingredients, stirring constantly. The sauce should immediately start to bubble and thicken. Depending on how saucy you want the dish, you can add an extra 1/4 – 1/2 cup water and continue stirring until thickened.
  8. Garnish with cilantro and green onions.