Will's tofu dish

April 6, 2019

We like to think we know our way around a block of tofu, but Will has shared a different style of preparation via the lab cookbook. The tofu is microwaved or steamed without any additional flavouring to heat it through. Then it's smothered in all the flavouring it'll ever need: soy sauce and vinegar, garlic and ginger, coriander, chilli, three kinds of oil, spring onions, fried shallots! We only needed some steamed rice and plain green veges to round this out into a meal.

Since the sauce goes on unheated the garlic and ginger are extra potent. I hoped that microwaving the leftovers at work might mellow them out, but their strong fragrance drew (positive!) attention from some of my co-workers.

I reckon that this is the rare recipe that will work just as well on a weeknight as it could when cooking a show-off meal for friends. I'll just have to pack some chewing gum when I plan to roll over leftovers to lunch.

Will's tofu dish
(shared via the Lab Farewell Cookbook)

20g fresh coriander
1 tablespoon ginger, minced
1 large red chilli, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
65g (about 5) spring onion, finely sliced
1 teaspoon chilli oil
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1/2 cup light soy sauce
1/4 cup dark soy sauce
1/4 cup Chinkiang black rice vinegar
500g firm tofu
2 tablespoons peanut oil
deep fried shallots
white pepper
sriracha sauce

Remove any roots from the coriander and wash the rest of it. Separate the stem from the leaves. Chop the stems and place them in a medium bowl. To the bowl, add the ginger, chilli, garlic, the white parts of the spring onions, chilli oil, sesame oil, soy sauces and vinegar. Whisk everything together.

Slice the tofu into flat squares, about 1cm x 3cm x 3cm. Microwave or steam the tofu until it's heated through. While the tofu is heating, put the peanut oil in a small saucepan and heat it just barely to its smoking point.

Layer the tofu in a large serving dish and pour over the soy-based sauce; carefully pour the hot peanut oil over, next. Generously garnish the tofu with the coriander leaves, green spring onion bits, deep-fried shallots and white pepper, squirting over sriracha to taste.