Black Pepper Tofu With Bok Choy Recipes

BLACK PEPPER TOFU WITH BOK CHOY

Steps:

• Cut tofu into cubes and blot dry with paper towels, pressing down gently.
• Make the wok sauce, stirring ingredients together in a small until most of the sugar dissolves. Place it by the stove.
• Prep the shallots, garlic and bok choy.
• Dredge the tofu in a light coating of cornstarch (cornstarch is optional, but provides a crispier texture).
• Heat oil in a wok or large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat and add the salt and crushed peppercorns to the oil, swirling it around until fragrant, about one minute.
• Add the tofu to the seasoned oil, and sear on all sides until golden and crispy, turning the heat down if need be. Be patient and take your time, it will take about 5-6 minutes.
• Set the crispy tofu aside on a paper towel-lined plate, and wipe the pan out.
• Heat another teaspoon or two of oil over medium heat, and add shallots, garlic and bok choy. Stir continuously until bok choy begins to wilt and shallots become golden, about 3-4 minutes. It will smell amazing. Add the wok sauce to the pan, careful to get all the sugar that may have settled in the bowl.
• Simmer for a couple of minutes, or until bok choy is just tender.
• At the very very end, toss the tofu back into the pan with the bok choy and sauce ( just long enough to coat, only 5-10 seconds!) Cooking any longer will remove the amazing crispiness! Taste for salt and heat, adjusting to your preference.
• Serve immediately, diving between two bowls.

TOFU WITH BOK CHOY

Steps:

• Make the sauce: In a medium bowl, combine soy sauce, vinegar, ginger, sugar, and sesame oil. Stir until sugar dissolves; set aside.
• Steam the bok choy; bring 2 inches of water to a boil in a large straight-sided skillet or stockpot. Arrange bok choy in a single layer in a steamer, and place over simmering water. Cover, and steam until hot and tender when pierced with the tip of a knife, 4 to 5 minutes.
• Cook the tofu: Heat a large nonstick skillet or a wok over high heat. Add oil, and swirl just to coat bottom of pan. Pat tofu dry, and arrange in pan in a single layer. Cook for 2 minutes. Turn, season with salt and pepper, and cook for 2 minutes more.
• Transfer tofu to a serving platter. Pour sauce over tofu, and top with cilantro, scallions, and serrano pepper. Serve with steamed bok choy and rice on the side.

SOY-BRAISED TOFU WITH BOK CHOY

Steps:

• Cut tofu across into ¾-inch-thick slices, then cut each slice in half so you have roughly 12 squares.
• Heat a large (12-inch), deep-sided nonstick or well-seasoned cast-iron skillet on medium-high. When hot, add 1 tablespoon of oil and swirl to coat the base. Place the tofu in a single layer, season each piece with a little salt and black pepper, and fry for 3 to 4 minutes until golden and crispy. Flip and cook on the other side for 3 to 4 minutes more, adding more oil if needed. Remove tofu from the skillet and set aside on a plate.
• Make the sauce: Combine the soy sauce, vegetarian stir-fry sauce or oyster sauce, cornstarch and sugar with ⅓ cup of water. Whisk until smooth.
• In the same skillet over medium heat, add the doubanjiang or chile oil (if you're using doubanjiang, add about 1 teaspoon of neutral oil) and stir for 15 seconds. Add the garlic, ginger and white parts of the scallion, and toss for 1 to 2 minutes, until the scallions are softened and everything is fragrant. If the pan starts to look dry, add a drop of oil.
• Add the bell pepper and Shaoxing wine, if using, and stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes until slightly softened. Pour in the seasoning sauce and let it sizzle for 30 seconds, stirring once or twice.
• Add the baby bok choy, tofu and green parts of the scallion, toss gently to coat the tofu. Let it simmer on low heat for 1 to 2 minutes until the sauce thickens, the baby bok choy is wilted but still green and crisp-tender, and the tofu has absorbed some of the sauce. Serve with rice or noodles.