Japanese Tofu Steak with Mushroom Ankake Sauce

Langkah-langkah

1. Gather all the ingredients.

2. Wrap ½ block medium-firm tofu (momen dofu) in 2–3 layers of paper towels. Place it on a microwave-safe plate.

3. Heat in the microwave at 600W (approx. 50% power for me) for 1½–2 minutes to drain the water from the tofu. If you don't have a microwave, you can press the tofu using a plate with a heavy object on top for 30 minutes.

4. Cut the drained tofu in half horizontally into 2 slabs about ¾-inch (2 cm) thick. Set aside.

5. Cut 1 green onion/scallion diagonally into thin slices. Keep the white and green parts in separate piles.

6. Peel 2 inches carrot and slice lengthwise into thin slabs, then julienne into thin matchsticks.

7. Trim off the dirty, dry "root" end from 0.75 oz enoki mushrooms. Cut crosswise in half, then separate the enoki stems into small clusters with your hands.

8. Trim off the root end from 1.2 oz shimeji (brown beech) mushrooms and separate the mushrooms.

9. Peel and grate 1 inch ginger (I use a ceramic grater). Add ½–1 tsp grated ginger with juice to 1 cup vegetable stock/broth in a bowl or measuring cup. Mince and add 1 clove garlic (I use a garlic press).

10. Add 1 Tbsp soy sauce, 1 Tbsp mirin, and 1 tsp sugar to the broth and stir to dissolve.

11. Mix 2 tsp potato starch or cornstarch and 1 Tbsp water in a small bowl to make a slurry.

12. When you're ready to cook, season both sides of the tofu with ⅛ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt and ⅛ tsp freshly ground black pepper.

13. Next, lightly coat all sides with ¼ cup all-purpose flour (plain flour) or cake flour.

14. Heat a frying pan on medium heat (I use an 11-inch carbon steel pan). When it's hot, add 1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil to heat.

15. Once the oil is hot, dust off the excess flour from the tofu steaks and add them to the pan. Nami's Tip: Don’t overcrowd the pan. Give each slice space to brown evenly and stay crispy.

16. Fry both sides until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side. As it cooks, use a paper towel to wipe off the browned flour from the pan. Nami's Tip: Removing the burnt flour keeps the oil clean so it doesn't darken and ruin the crust's taste and appearance.

17. Let the tofu sear without moving it, occasionally pressing down gently with a spatula. When both sides are crispy and golden brown, transfer them to a serving plate. Clean the pan with a paper towel.

18. Add 1 Tbsp sesame oil (as needed), white part of the green onion, and carrot strips to the same pan over medium heat. Toss to coat in the oil with a wooden spatula.

19. Add the mushrooms and stir-fry to coat with oil.

20. Next, give the sauce mixture a quick stir and add it to the pan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook for 5 minutes. Nami's Tip: If the sauce evaporates and turns too thick, add a small splash of water to loosen it. If it's too thin, stir in a bit more slurry or simmer briefly to reduce and thicken.

21. Give the slurry a quick stir, then pour it slowly into the pan while stirring briskly until the sauce thickens. Once it becomes glossy and translucent, turn off the heat.Nami's Tip: If your sauce is too thick, slowly add 1–2 Tbsp water and stir quickly with a spatula to check the consistency. If the sauce is too thin, you can let it simmer a bit longer.

22. Ladle the ankake sauce over the tofu steaks. Garnish with the green onion tops and enjoy immediately. Sprinkle with optional shichimi togarashi (Japanese seven spice) for a spicy kick.

23. You can keep the leftover sauce and fried tofu separately in airtight containers and store in the refrigerator for 3 days.