Tofu gets a little fancy look with very simple ingredients with easy steps! This Pan-Fried Tofu with Sweet & Savory Sauce is a perfect dish to serve for any special occasion (or not) to satisfy both palette and eyes!
Sweet & Savory Sauce (Double the amount if you like saucier)
1tbspmiso
1/2tbspsoy sauce
1/2tbspsugar
1/2tbspmirin
1/2 - 1tbspwater
Toppings
1scallionjulienned
Shichimi pepper
Instructions
Cut the block of tofu into 12 pieces (about 1-inch thickness.) On a cutting board or tray, place 2 sheets of paper towels. Place the tofu on the paper towels in a single layer then top with another 2 sheets. Put a plate on it to gently squeeze out excess water. Don’t press! Leave it for 15 minutes.
Heat up a frying pan at medium to medium high heat. Toasted sesame oil and cook the tofu for 2-3 minutes on each side until crispy and golden brown. If/when the pan is getting too hot, reduce the heat to medium to avoid burning. Set aside. Repeat the process (if necessary) to cook all 12 pieces.
Use the same pan to make the sauce. At medium heat, pour the sweet & savory sauce mixture. Cook for 1-2 minutes just until the alcohol of mirin evaporates (it will thicken.) Remove from the heat immediately.
Place the sauce on a plate and spread out. Then put 3-4 pieces of tofu per person on top of the sauce. Top it with a desired amount of scallion and shichimi pepper for the spicy kick.
As an alternate way of serving, dress and coat the tofu pieces with the sauce. Then top it with a desired amount of scallion and shichimi pepper for the spicy kick.
Notes
Typically, Japanese dishes are not drenched with sauce so follow the exact recipe of the sauce if you want to savor it in the way that’s served for the Japanese. But if you enjoy saucier dishes, double the amount of each ingredient in the sauce section. If you are not sure, just make it double anyways, and keep the leftover in the fridge and consume within 2-3 days.