Tofu

Serves 4
30 – 45 minutes, including prep time

This is Silvia’s first recipe on the blog!

I recently fell in love with Asian food, so I started to make it more often. I am putting bibimbap in this food blog, because I think it is delicious. It’s easy to make, and also a perfect meal for a cold day. If you are not familiar with bibimbap, it is a Korean dish, usually make with Rice, kimchi, beef, greens, and topped with an egg. This version is made with tofu instead of beef. You do not have to just put those particular ingredients in this dish, you can mix and match with any vegetables that you want!

– Silvia

Ingredients

1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1 Tbsp + 1 tsp + 1 tsp sesame oil
1 Tbsp spicy gochujang (optional)
2 lb tofu
1 tsp cornstarch 
1 1/2 cups long grain white rice
3 cups water
2 carrots
1/8 tsp + 1/8 tsp salt
6oz baby spinach
Kimchi (Optional)
Toasted sesame seeds, for serving 
4 eggs

Method

1. Prepare tofu. Cut each block of tofu into four long slabs, as pictured above. Use paper towels or a kitchen towel to gently press as much water out as you can. Stack the tofu slabs on top of one another, and gut into 3/4″ cubes.
2. Whisk soy sauce, garlic powder, ground ginger, brown sugar, and 1 Tbsp sesame oil in a medium bowl. 
3. Transfer 3 Tbsp of the mixture into a small bowl. Whisk in gochujang (if using), Then set aside. Use remaining mixture as a marinade. 
4. Add tofu and cornstarch to marinade in a medium bowl. Stir well, then set aside.
5. Add rice and water to a medium, pot. Bring to boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce heat to a low, cover, and cook 20 minutes. When done cooking, fluff with a fork. Meanwhile, continue to prepare toppings. 
6. Grate carrots on large holes of a box grater. Add to a small bowl with 1 tsp sesame oil and 1/8 tsp salt. Set aside.
7. Heat skillet on medium-high. Add spinach, 1 tsp sesame oil, and 1/8 tsp salt. Cover, cook 2 min, then stir until wilted. Transfer to small bowl and set aside.
8. Add tofu and marinade to the same skilled you used for the spinach on medium-high. Cook until beginning to brown, 7-10 minutes. Resist the urge to stir too often, or nothing will brown.
9. Assemble the four bowls. Add rice, then top with tofu, carrots, spinach, and kimchi (if using). Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
10. Heat a clean skillet over medium-low. Coat with oil. Crack one egg into a small bowl, then add to skillet. If you prefer your eggs more firmly set, cover the skillet. Repeat with the remaining eggs. 
11. Cover and cook the eggs until whites are firm and yolks jiggle slightly 2-3 minuets.
12. Use a spatula to move one egg on top of each bowl. Drizzle with sauce.