Silken Tofu with Soy Sauce
This is probably one of the easiest exotic recipes to prepare. In China, it is on every restaurant menu, and we experienced it many times while living there.
Savoury silken tofu only needs the addition of a handful of basic ingredients and is a simple 15 minute process.
Only the soy sauce mixture needs a little cooking to add taste and aroma to the dish. The tofu is best when served cold or at room temperature with the soy sauce seasoning and added spring onions and sesame seeds for extra texture. It is perfect as an appetiser, or a side dish served with other Asian dishes.
What is silken tofu?
Silken tofu is healthy, nutritious, and a good natural replacement for meat. It has the highest water content of all the tofu types as it is undrained coagulated soy milk without being curdled. After production it is left unpressed, so each ‘cake’ retains all of its moisture while cooling. Silken tofu has a smooth, silky appearance and can be soft, firm, or extra firm. Always handle it with care as it easily falls apart.
Silken Tofu with Soy Sauce
EQUIPMENT (click pictures for details)
Ingredients
- 400 gr silken tofu
- ½ pc chopped onions
- 1.5 tbsp minced garlic cloves
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp vegetable stock optional
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tsp black rice vinegar
- ½ tsp dried chilli flakes
- ½ tbsp light brown sugar or palm sugar syrup
- 3-4 chopped spring onions
- 1 tsp toasted white sesame seeds
For the garnish
- 3-4 tbsp fried crispy shallot rings see recipe
Instructions
Prepare the tofu
- Open the package and flip the soft block of tofu in between two kitchen towels.Gently place some weight on top of the tofu to press out the excess of water.Keep the silken tofu in the refrigerator for 45 minutes.
Prepare the sauce
- Sweat the chopped onions in vegetable oil until translucent.Add the garlic and stir over a low heat until fragrant.
- Pour in the soy sauce, oyster sauce, vinegar, vegetable stock, sugar and dried chilli. Stir well to combine and remove from the stove to cool.
- Add the sesame seeds and spring onions, then season to taste with a pinch of ground white pepper.
Finish the dish
- Remove the silken tofu from the fridge and place it in the centre of a service plate.Pour the onion-soy sauce over the tofu and garnish with the fried shallot rings.
Notes
- Adding some vegetable stock will reduce the salty taste of the soy sauce.
