Braised Tofu

4.97 from 101 votes

Introducing your new favorite way to eat tofu! This Braised Tofu features golden pan-fried tofu squares simmered in a deeply savory Chinese-inspired braising liquid. The tofu soaks in all of these gorgeous flavors, leaving you with a gourmet, yet weeknight-friendly dish!

Prep Time10

Cook Time35

Total Time45

Course: Dinner, Side Dish

Cuisine: Chinese

Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian

Servings: to 4

Author: Nisha Vora

Ingredients

1 (14-ounce/400g) block of extra-firm tofu, drained
Kosher salt
2 to 3 tablespoons neutral-flavored oil of choice

Aromatics

1 tablespoon oil from Chinese chile oil or chile crisp (sub neutral-flavored oil) (see Note 1)
4 scallions, sliced on a bias in into 1-inch pieces (reserve dark green tops for garnish)
1- inch piece fresh ginger, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 cup (120g) thinly sliced red bell peppers (see Note 2 for more options)

Braising liquid

3 tablespoons Chinese “light soy sauce” (or regular store soy sauce) (see Note 3)
2 tablespoons organic brown sugar (see Note 4)
1 heaping tablespoon Chinese black vinegar (see Note 5 for sub)
¼ to ½ teaspoon Sichuan chile flakes (or 1 dried red chile torn in half; optional, omit for mild heat)
½ teaspoon Chinese five spice powder
⅛ teaspoon white pepper (optional)

Slurry

½ cup (120 mL) water
1 tablespoon cornstarch or arrowroot powder

For serving

A few drizzles of toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon toasted white sesame seeds
Reserved scallion greens, sliced thinly on a bias
~ 3 cups (360g) of cooked white rice or brown rice

Instructions

Slice the tofu in half vertically. Gently press down on each slab with a towel to remove some water. Flip each slab around and slice crosswise into squares ⅓” to ½” (1 cm) thick. Arrange tofu squares on a cutting board. Cover with a thin dish towel or a few paper towels. Cover with a cookbook to press.
Meanwhile, slice the aromatics.
Remove the towel from the tofu. If the tofu appears still wet, gently dab down on the squares with a dry towel. Sprinkle the top side of each tofu square with a bit of salt to season.
Heat a 12-inch nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat with the neutral oil for 2 minutes. Meanwhile, line the cutting board from step 1 with a few paper towels.
Pile the tofu in a slotted spoon or spider tool. Carefully add the tofu to the hot oil, arranging it in a single layer.
Move the tofu around in the oil to evenly coat and cook on one side for 5 to 8 minutes, or until golden brown on the bottom. Use a thin spatula to flip and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until the bottom is also golden brown.
When the tofu is golden brown and crisp on both sides, transfer the squares to the towel-lined board to absorb excess oil. Sprinkle with a couple pinches of salt.
While the tofu cooks, combine the braising liquid ingredients together in a jar; seal and shake it up; or add to a bowl and whisk together.
Return the frying pan to the stove and wipe out excess oil. Add the 1 tablespoon chile oil or oil from chile crisp (or neutral oil) and heat over medium-high.
Once warm, add the scallion whites/greens, garlic, and ginger, and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, tossing frequently, until fragrant. Add the vegetables and cook until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes, shaking the pan and stir-frying as you go.
Pour in the braising liquid. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 5 minutes, or until thickened a bit.
Meanwhile, make the slurry. Stir the cornstarch into the 1/2 cup (120 mL) water and whisk well.
After the 5 minutes, add the cornstarch slurry into the pan and whisk until it thickens a bit but not too much, 45 to 60 seconds.
Add the fried tofu into the sauce and use a silicone spatula to coat the tofu in the sauce.
Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has thickened into a sauce that sticks to the tofu. Take off the heat and cool for a few minutes.
Serve tofu over rice. Thinly slice the reserved scallion greens. Garnish tofu with scallion greens, sesame seeds, and light drizzle of toasted sesame oil.

Notes

I LOVE using Chinese chile oil or the oil from a jar of chile crisp in place of regular cooking oil here for a burst of umami and a subtle heat. You can find chile oil or chile crisp in many well-stocked grocery stores, Asian markets, and online. My three favorite brands of chile crisp are FLYBYJING, Lao Gan Ma, and Momofuku (affiliate links). If you don’t have it, just use the neutral-flavored cooking oil you used for frying the tofu.
You can sub bell peppers with any small chopped quick-cooking veggie. Good options are chopped baby bok choy, shredded Napa cabbage, and snap peas or snow peas.
If you have Chinese light soy sauce, use that. Otherwise, standard grocery store soy sauce (e.g., Kikkoman, San J, etc.) is totally fine.
You can sub the sugar with maple syrup but the sauce will be slightly thinner.
If strictly gluten-free, use rice vinegar, as most Chinese black vinegars are fermented with grains. It doesn’t have the same depth of flavor as black vinegar but will still be tasty. Or, use 2 parts rice vinegar to 1 part aged balsamic vinegar.

Nutrition