Tag: quick dinner

Recipes

Spicy Sticky Fried Tofu

by AudreyLeave a Comment on Spicy Sticky Fried Tofu

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I found this dish through Maangchi, a Korean food YouTuber, and knew I had to try and make it. This recipe is my take on her’s, however I added a little vinegar for acidity and rice syrup for a sticky sweet finish that makes this tofu so addicting.

Perfect served on its own for a quick snack, or with steamed vegetables and rice as a light meal, this recipe is (somewhat) healthy and very satisfying. I usually make it as a meatless meal during the week.

The key is to fry the tofu until it creates a skin that is dry and crispy. Try to not flip it until it is ready – all you need to do is set it down and let it go. If you have a little time you can further dry the tofu out in advance by taking the block out of its packaging, wrapping it in a paper towel, and pressing it down with a weight (I like putting cans on top of a plate) for 20 minutes.

ingredients

Spicy Sticky Fried Tofu

Makes 2 servings

Prep time: 5 minutes | Total time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 block firm tofu
  • 1 tbs vegetable oil for frying
  • 2 tbs gochujang, Korean red pepper paste
  • 2 tbs sake
  • 1 tbs soy sauce
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • 1 tsp rice wine vinegar
  • 1 tbs brown rice syrup, easily found at the Korean grocery store, or honey
  • 1 green onion, chopped
  • 1 tsp sesame seeds for garnish, I used a mix of black and white

Step 1: Drain and pat the tofu dry with a paper towel. Cut into 1 cm thick blocks.

Step 2: Heat frying pan on medium high. Add frying oil. When oil is hot (you can test by sprinkling water on the pan – it’s ready when the water sizzles immediately upon contact) add tofu in single layer and shake pan to distribute the cooking oil under the tofu.

Step 3: Cook the tofu for about 10 minutes. Try not to flip them until they start to develop a crispy skin. Check the tofu on the sides and middle of the pan and make sure all pieces are cooking evenly. Reduce heat if needed if tofu is starting to burn.

When all pieces are evenly toasted and golden brown on one side, flip them and cook the other side.

Step 4: While the tofu is cooking, make the sauce. Start with the gochujang and gradually thin it out with the sake. Add the soy sauce, sesame oil, rice syrup, and vinegar.

Step 5: When both sides of the tofu are crispy and golden brown, add the sauce. Reduce the sauce for a couple minutes while coating it on the tofu. When the sauce is thick and syrupy, everything is ready.

Step 6: Serve warm, sprinkled with sesame seeds and chopped green onion.

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Recipes

Creamy mushroom soup

by AudreyLeave a Comment on Creamy mushroom soup

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So I had a craving for mushroom soup for a week before I made this. However, unlike most cream of mushroom soups that are overly heavy, I wanted something that was both light and creamy.

This is where lemon is my best friend. I remembered a recipe I did a few months back for the Indiana Daily Student. I wrote a recipe on quick chicken pot pie. My feature was a homemade filling made entirely from scratch. I used lemon juice to cut the fattiness of the cream sauce.

This is the exact same technique I used here. I also wanted the soup to have a chunkiness to it, so I added some leftover butternut squash to add some texture and a slight sweetness.

Ditch the canned soup and give this a shot. It will be worth your while.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups finely chopped mushrooms
  • 1 cup finely shopped butternut squash, you can sub in sweet potato or carrots (or both) if you so choose
  • 1/2 small red onion
  • juice of half a lemon
  • zest of half a lemon
  • 1 sprig rosemary, leaves only, finely chopped
  • 2 tbs butter, sub out for duck fat if you are feeling fancy (I was)
  • 6 tbs flour
  • 4 cups water or vegetable broth
  • 3/4 cup cream
  • salt and pepper to taste

Step 1: Melt the 2 tbs of butter in a large saucepan heated on high. When it begins to bubble, add the onion. Cook until the onion is translucent and aromatic. Add the mushrooms and rosemary. Cook until the mushrooms have wilted and reduced in size. Reduce the heat to medium high.

Step 2: Add the butternut squash, stir well and then cover with a lid. Cook until the squash is tender and splits easily with a fork. Add water or white wine to the pan if the vegetables begin to dry out while cooking. Season the vegetables with salt and pepper.

Step 3: Pour the flour into the pan with the vegetables, mix well. Cook a minute or two to get rid of the raw flour taste. Gradually, pour in the four cups of water one cup at a time while stirring constantly. Add the lemon juice. Cook until the soup thickens, it will take a bit of time for the grains of flour to absorb the liquid.

Step 4: Reduce heat to low and let the soup simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.