Tofu; Caramelized, Seasoned, and Dressed with Fresh Green Onions
Fried Tofu! Yumm!
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Got Tofu?
Why do you eat tofu?
Fried tofu in a caramelized shoyu sauce
Tofu was first developed in ancient China, from there it spread through out Asia, and has continued on to the West. Tofu is made by coagulating or curdling soy bean. It is low in calories and fat, and very high in protein and iron. For this reason tofu becomes a very significant part of a diet if you don't eat meat, or if body building or toning. Protein is important for the body - not just for muscle growth, but for keeping your body in good health. It battles fatigue and gives your body stamina. It is in our hormones, and enzymes, it keeps our body healthy and able to resist disease. For these reasons, tofu becomes a very healthy meal for your body.
Tofu has varying degrees of firmness, and very simply, the firmer the tofu is, the more of it's moisture is pressed out of the tofu. Firm and extra firm tofu will contain less moisture than the soft tofu. They are used accordingly in dishes that need a certain texture for the meal.
The soft tofu can be used in soups, or deep fried - a totally different look and texture from the starting 'block' tofu. Varieties include thinner sheets that are fried to provide a shell or a cone for japanese sushi - simply called "cone sushi". This is my favorite sushi - it's Japanese name is 'inari' sushi.
For our recipe, we will be using the firm tofu for it's easier handling as you will see, it would be too difficult for a soft tofu to stay in tack. I hope you will enjoy this very lite side dish, best with a nice green salad, somen salad, or the entre' of your choice.
Cook Time
Ingredients
- 1 block Tofu firm
- 1/2 cup Shoyu (soy sauce), Low salt
- 2 tspn Oyster Sauce
- to taste Ginger powder
- to taste Garlic powder
Let's make some Tofu!
- Okay, first lets get out your tofu, and drain the water out, then place the tofu carefully onto a cutting board or plate. In this recipe, we'll cut it into about a healthy 1/2 inch slabs.
- Cut through the remainder of all the pieces, then we will paper pat the tofu slabs to get any excessive moisture.
- Mix your shoyu and oyster sauce into a small bowl. Add the garlic powder and stir in your ginger powder or paste - whatever you have on-hand is fine. Be careful with the amount of ginger, too much can over-power the sauce. Mix well to your taste.
- I should also call special attention to the ingredients being used which are very high in salt content - especially the oyster sauce. For this reason, I recommend using a low salt shoyu (soy sauce) such as the one being used in the picture above.
- Okay, get your pan warmed up, and take a portion of your sauce to cover the bottom of your frying pan. Let the sauce caramelize - the sauce will start to bubble and steam. Once this is done, it's ready for some tofu slabs.
- In a small frying pan like this one, we can cook two slabs at a time at the max. Once the side is noticeably browned, carefully flip it over.
- When both sides are cooked in the sauce, keep loading in new slabs of fresh tofu. Remember to add more sauce to the dish whenever you're low, and don't forget to caramelize the sauce before you add more tofu slabs.
- Once you have completed all your tofu slabs, add green onions for taste and to garnish your plate as pictured. You can use your own imaginations as to how you want to tweak this dish, it is very versatile, and very good for you. If served as a side dish, the yield will vary depending on your guests appetite for tofu. Bon appetit.
Heres a great and easy suggestion for dinner...
- Hawaiian Pork Tofu Dinner Ideas
Here's a tasty dish that is fast and easy to make and will be a great alternative to the weekly menu.
