This recipe takes its inspiration from traditional Korean Dubu Jorim but adds a few other ingredients that we have come to love in it that are not so traditional. It is a fun recipe to experiment with and comes together very quickly, which is a plus for weeknight cooking
Ingredients:
1 T. neutral oil (canola or other)
1 lb. firm or extra-firm tofu
3-4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 inch knob of ginger, peeled and finely diced
½ yellow onion, diced fine
1 red Fresno chile pepper, diced fine (optional and feel free to use less, especially if the pepper is on the large size, or to substitute a pepper you like better)
4 T. soy sauce
1 T. mirin
½ T. sugar
1 T. gochugaru (I really like Mother-in-Law’s brand but any Korean chile flake will do)
¼ cup orange juice (if you don’t have orange juice you can increase the water, but the citrus makes a difference in the sauce)
¼ cup water
1-2 scallions, sliced with green parts reserved for garnish
½ t. sesame oil (you can also use toasted sesame oil if you prefer)
Preparation:
- Slice the tofu into ½ inch thick logs and place them in a pan with paper towels below, in between, and above to absorb some of the exterior liquid and dry them a bit. Set aside while you prep the rest of the dish.
- Combine the garlic, ginger, soy sauce, mirin, sugar, gochugaru, white part of sliced scallion, orange juice and water in a small bowl and mix thoroughly.
- In a large, preferably non-stick skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. When it begins to shimmer, add the tofu pieces and fry until golden brown on each side. This only takes a minute or so per side.
- When the tofu is golden, pour the bowl of sauce over the fried tofu and reduce the heat. Cover the pan and cook for 4-5 minutes and then remove the cover and continue to simmer until the sauce is reduced to a slightly syrupy consistency, which only takes a few minutes.
- This dish can be served on its own or, as I like it best, over rice). Once served, top with a drizzle of sesame oil and the green part of the scallions. Enjoy!
