Savory Braised Tofu with Enoki Mushrooms: A Delicious and Filling Side Dish
Spicy, Sweet, and Savory Braised Tofu with Enoki Mushrooms
Today, I’m sharing my absolute favorite braised tofu recipe, a dish beloved by everyone! Featuring the delightful chewiness of enoki mushrooms and the soft texture of tofu, this ‘rice thief’ is incredibly satisfying. Let’s make a simple yet impressive meal!
Main Ingredients
- Tofu 320g (firm or stewing type)
- 1 small onion
- 10 Korean green chili peppers (kwari gochu)
- 1/2 bunch enoki mushrooms (approx. 100g)
- 1/2 red bell pepper
Braising Sauce Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce (approx. 30ml)
- 1 Tbsp gochugaru (Korean chili flakes, approx. 10g)
- 1 Tbsp fish sauce (or regular soy sauce)
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic (approx. 15g)
- 1 Tbsp corn syrup (or rice syrup)
- 1 Tbsp perilla oil (or sesame oil, approx. 15ml)
- 1 Tbsp cooking oil (approx. 15ml)
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil (finishing, approx. 15ml)
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce (approx. 30ml)
- 1 Tbsp gochugaru (Korean chili flakes, approx. 10g)
- 1 Tbsp fish sauce (or regular soy sauce)
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic (approx. 15g)
- 1 Tbsp corn syrup (or rice syrup)
- 1 Tbsp perilla oil (or sesame oil, approx. 15ml)
- 1 Tbsp cooking oil (approx. 15ml)
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil (finishing, approx. 15ml)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, let’s prepare the vegetables. Thinly slice the onion. Trim the stems off the Korean green chili peppers and cut them in half lengthwise. Slice the tofu into 1cm thick pieces. For the enoki mushrooms, trim the base, rinse them lightly under running water, and drain thoroughly in a colander. Dice the red bell pepper into similar-sized pieces.
Step 2
Heat a non-stick pan over medium heat and add 1 Tbsp of cooking oil and 1 Tbsp of perilla oil. Arrange the sliced tofu in a single layer. Pan-fry the tofu until golden brown and slightly crispy on both sides. This step ensures the tofu holds its shape and adds a wonderful nutty flavor.
Step 3
Once the tofu is nicely browned, carefully layer the prepared onion, enoki mushrooms, Korean green chili peppers, and red bell pepper over the tofu. Distributing the vegetables evenly will help them absorb the sauce beautifully.
Step 4
In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, gochugaru, fish sauce, minced garlic, corn syrup, and finishing sesame oil. Whisk everything together to create the braising sauce. Pour this sauce evenly over the vegetables and tofu in the pan.
Step 5
Bring the sauce to a simmer over medium heat. Once it starts bubbling, reduce the heat to low or medium-low and let it braise gently. Swirl the pan occasionally to ensure the sauce doesn’t stick or burn and to help it meld with the ingredients. Braise for about 5-7 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender-crisp and the sauce has thickened slightly.
Step 6
Transfer the delicious braised tofu and vegetables to a serving dish. This dish is so good, I made a generous portion, and my family absolutely loved it. It’s perfect served over a bowl of hot rice!
Step 7
This braised tofu is so incredibly tasty that it never lasts long in my house! It’s a magical side dish that makes you want to devour a whole bowl of rice, often with more tofu than rice!
