Tender Tofu Jorim (Braised Tofu): Chef Ryu Soo-young’s Chinese-Style Recipe
Master Chef Ryu Soo-young’s ‘Food Truck Chef’ Tofu Jorim Recipe: The Secret to a Flavorful Braising Sauce for Rice Lovers
Follow along with Ryu Soo-young’s trusted Tofu Jorim recipe! This un-fried, Chinese-style braised tofu is incredibly tender and absolutely perfect for mixing with white rice. It’s a dish that guarantees a delicious meal!
Main Ingredients- 350g firm tofu (for pan-frying or stew)
- 1 onion (medium-sized)
- 1 stalk of green onion
- A little bit of chili pepper (optional, for color and a hint of spice)
Braising Sauce Ingredients- A little cooking oil (for stir-frying vegetables)
- 0.5 Tbsp sugar
- 0.5 Tbsp minced garlic
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 2 Tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 Tbsp gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
- A pinch of black pepper
- 200ml water (approx. 1 cup)
- A little cooking oil (for stir-frying vegetables)
- 0.5 Tbsp sugar
- 0.5 Tbsp minced garlic
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 2 Tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 Tbsp gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
- A pinch of black pepper
- 200ml water (approx. 1 cup)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, prepare the main ingredients for your dish: 350g of firm tofu, 1 medium onion, 1 stalk of green onion, and a small amount of chili pepper if you like. The chili pepper adds a lovely color and a touch of heat, enhancing the overall flavor of the braised tofu.
Step 2
It’s important to drain the tofu well. Take your 350g block of tofu and wrap it snugly in about 3-4 layers of paper towels. Let it sit for a while; this helps to absorb excess moisture, preventing the tofu from breaking apart too easily during cooking and allowing it to absorb the sauce more effectively.
Step 3
Now, let’s cut the tofu into bite-sized pieces. Start by slicing the 350g tofu block in half lengthwise. Then, cut each half into two pieces, and then into two again. This method ensures that all the tofu pieces are uniformly sized, which leads to even cooking and a more appealing presentation. Aim for pieces about 1.5 to 2cm thick.
Step 4
Prepare the vegetables next. Slice the onion (1 medium) into strips about 0.5cm thick – not too thin. Cut the green onion (1 stalk) into oblique pieces or chop it into roughly 0.5-1cm chunks. Cutting them this way prevents them from burning too quickly while stir-frying and adds a lovely depth of flavor.
Step 5
Now, let’s start building the base for our braising sauce by stir-frying the vegetables. Without adding any oil to the pan, place the sliced onions and green onions into the pan. Turn the heat to high and let them cook undisturbed for about 3 minutes. Once the edges start to turn golden brown, just before they scorch, give them a stir to ensure even cooking. This step helps to caramelize the natural sugars in the vegetables, bringing out their sweetness.
Step 6
Once the vegetables are slightly browned, add about 2 generous swirls of cooking oil to the pan and continue to stir-fry. Cook over medium heat until the vegetables are nicely golden all over and most of the moisture has evaporated, leaving a little oil shimmering in the pan. This should take about 30 seconds. This process infuses the oil with the vegetables’ flavor.
Step 7
It’s time to add the ingredients that will give our sauce its sweetness and umami. To the stir-fried vegetables, add 0.5 tablespoon of sugar and 0.5 tablespoon of minced garlic. Stir them in quickly. Turn off the heat momentarily to prevent the garlic from burning.
Step 8
Let’s create the core of the braising sauce. Push the stir-fried vegetables to one side of the pan. In the empty space, pour in 2 tablespoons of soy sauce and 2 tablespoons of oyster sauce. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of gochugaru (Korean chili flakes) over the vegetables. Now, turn the heat back to high and stir-fry everything together for about 30 seconds to 1 minute, allowing the sauce ingredients to meld. You’ll notice the sauce bubbling and releasing a wonderful aroma. Turn off the heat immediately after this.
Step 9
Now, let’s prepare to braise the tofu. Gently push the sauced vegetables to one side of the pan. Place the drained tofu pieces neatly into the empty space. Then, spoon some of the stir-fried vegetable mixture over the tofu. Fill in any remaining gaps with the rest of the tofu pieces. Try to coat the tofu evenly with the sauce so it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan.
Step 10
Time to let the tofu become tender and flavorful. Carefully pour 100ml of water (about half a paper cup) into the pan. Sprinkle a little black pepper over it. Bring the liquid to a boil over high heat. As soon as it starts boiling, cover the pan with a lid, reduce the heat to low, and let it simmer for 10 minutes. This slow simmering allows the sauce to penetrate deep into the tofu. If the sauce reduces too much during this time, you can add a little more water.
Step 11
After 10 minutes, remove the lid and turn the heat back up to high. The goal now is to quickly reduce any excess liquid. Simmer for a short time until the sauce is slightly thickened and glossy. Finally, garnish with the prepared chili pepper (if using) for a beautiful finish. Your delicious, tender Tofu Jorim, inspired by Chef Ryu Soo-young, is now ready to be enjoyed with a big bowl of rice!
