Description
This Braised Tofu and Mushrooms recipe is a savory, aromatic dish featuring firm tofu and a combination of wood ear and oyster mushrooms simmered in a flavorful sauce made with ginger, garlic, chili bean sauce, soy sauce, and Shaoxing wine. It’s a perfect vegetarian entrée serving four, ideal for a comforting meal paired with steamed white rice.
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon oil
- 2 inch ginger (Indonesian: jahe), peeled and cut into matchsticks
- 3 cloves garlic (Indonesian: bawang putih), minced
- 2 scallions (Indonesian: daun bawang), cut into 1 inch sections
- 1 tablespoon chili bean sauce (Chinese: dou ban jiang)
- 1 block of firm tofu (about 300 gram), cut into bite size pieces
- 100 gram wood ear mushroom (Indonesian: jamur kuping), thinly sliced
- 100 gram oyster mushroom (Indonesian: jamur tiram), tear into small pieces
Seasonings and Garnishes
- 2 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 tablespoon corn starch + 1 tablespoon water (for slurry)
- scallion ribbons (Indonesian: daun bawang)
- coriander leaves (Indonesian: daun ketumbar)
Instructions
- Sauté aromatics: Heat oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the ginger matchsticks, minced garlic, and 1-inch scallion sections. Cook and stir for about 3 minutes until fragrant but not browned.
- Add chili bean sauce: Stir in the chili bean sauce and cook for an additional minute, allowing the sauce to release its aroma and deepen the flavor base.
- Add tofu and mushrooms: Incorporate the tofu pieces, wood ear mushroom slices, and oyster mushroom pieces into the pan. Pour in Shaoxing wine, soy sauce, salt, sugar, and white pepper. Stir thoroughly to combine all ingredients evenly with the seasonings.
- Simmer: Pour in the water and bring the mixture to a boil. Immediately reduce the heat to low and let it simmer gently for 5 minutes so the flavors meld and the mushrooms soften.
- Thicken sauce: Mix the corn starch with the water to form a slurry. Stir this into the simmering sauce to thicken it, cooking for an additional minute until the sauce reaches desired consistency.
- Serve and garnish: Turn off the heat. Transfer the braised tofu and mushrooms to a serving plate and garnish with scallion ribbons and coriander leaves. Serve immediately, ideally with steamed white rice.
Notes
- Use firm tofu to ensure it holds shape during cooking.
- Wood ear mushrooms add a pleasant crunch; soak dried ones in warm water before slicing if using dried.
- Adjust chili bean sauce quantity to control the spiciness level.
- Shaoxing wine can be substituted with dry sherry if unavailable.
- Serve with steamed rice or noodles for a complete meal.
- For a gluten-free version, use gluten-free soy sauce.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Chinese-Indonesian Fusion
