Call me biased, but I love everything about Asian food, be it South East Asian or from the far East, I love the explosion of flavours, textures and colours, a virtual feast for the senses. My husband shares the same love for this cuisine despite being born here in the Middle East. It’s no wonder that after Indian cuisine, Chinese is the most popular cuisine in India. Momo’s are the current rage, including a Tandoori version that’s super popular! I have a feeling Momo’s might soon be declared a national dish!
Korean cuisine is less explored by me, I’ve only just started. Try a bowl of steamed Rice porridge with Kimchi, it’s such a simple comfort food that instantly warms up your soul. Most weekdays we try to keep things light in the kitchen while sticking with vegan options. This spicy braised Tofu was a big hit with hubby, who wiped the plate clean. Do give it a try, I do take a lot of care to choose something that’s easy to cook on a weekday too, so nothing to fret about here, it’s a very easy prep and cook. Apparently in Korea this is a lunchbox item since it keeps well in the refrigerator and pairs up nicely with steamed rice or noodles.
The recipe credit goes to my favourite Korean Chef Maangchi, she is an adorable Chef who I follow on Insta and I should thank her for making Korean cooking so exciting for me!
Ingredients
1 package firm Tofu
3 tbsp cooking oil
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp toasted sesame seeds
1 clove minced garlic
½ cup finely chopped onion
2 Spring onions, chopped
For the sauce, mix in a small bowl
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon fine Red Chilli Flakes
½ cup water
Rinse Tofu in cold running water and dry it with a paper towel. Cut it into ¼ inch thick bite size pieces. Add the cooking oil to a non-stick pan and heat it up over high heat. Gently place the tofu on the pan and cook for 7 to 8 minutes. Rotate the pan to cook the tofu evenly. When the bottoms get a little crunchy, flip them over one by one with a spatula. Let it cook another 7 to 8 minutes until both sides of each tofu are slightly crispy and golden brown. Transfer the tofu to a plate and keep the leftover oil.
Heat up the remaining oil and add the chopped onion, garlic, and spring onion (less 1 tablespoon, to be used for a garnish later). Stir with a wooden spoon for a few minutes until the onion gets a little crispy. Add the sauce mix and keep stirring until it reduces a bit and thickens. Now add the tofu to this and braise for a minute until the tofu absorbs some of the flavor of the sauce. Stir in some sesame oil and switch off the flame. Sprinkle the sesame seeds over top and the rest of the chopped green onion. Serve it right away with rice or glass noodles.
