Korean Tofu With Spicy Garlic Sauce

Weeknight Winner: Warm Tofu With Spicy Garlic Sauce

January 14, 2013

Last month we set out to find which trendy foods of 2012 you, our readers, were still excited about, and which you'd be content to see go the way of the dinosaurs. While some trends inspired ambivalence — feelings were split on whether desserts on a stick were still relevant — others, like Korean food, left you wanting more. With that in mind (and because we also have a strong affinity for the cuisine), it seemed high time to share a recipe for a classic Korean dish: dobu jorim (braised tofu).

This weeknight- and wallet-friendly dish has a simple yet powerful, tongue-tantalizing sauce. And while it's typically served as part of a large banchan spread, it's equally at home as a main course supported by a hearty vegetable side. So what are you waiting for? Try this tofu tonight.

Adapted from Gourmet

Warm Tofu With Spicy Garlic Sauce

Recipe Notes

If you can't locate Korean red-pepper flakes, substitute standard crushed red pepper flakes. For a milder version of the dish, start with 1/2 teaspoon rather than 1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes.

Ingredients

1 (14- to 18-oz) package firm tofu
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/4 cup thinly sliced scallion
2 teaspoons sesame seeds, toasted and lightly crushed in a mortar and pestle or spice grinder
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon coarse Korean hot red-pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar

Directions

Rinse the tofu, then place the whole block in a medium saucepan and cover with cool water. Bring to a simmer, then cover the pot and reduce the heat to the lowest setting to keep the tofu warm until serving time.
While the tofu is poaching, prep the sauce. Work the garlic into a paste by sprinkling it with a pinch of coarse salt and mashing it with the side of a heavy knife until it breaks down. Mix together the garlic paste, scallion, sesame seeds, soy sauce, sesame oil, pepper flakes, and sugar.
Carefully remove the tofu with a large spatula to a pile of paper towels to drain. Pat it dry, plate it, and drizzle/spoon over the sauce. Serve with any extra sauce.

Serves 2.