Chinese Braised Tofu with Shiitake and Bok Choy 🥢✨

Description

Chinese Braised Tofu with Shiitake and Bok Choy is savory, glossy, deeply aromatic, and quietly elegant, with tender tofu, earthy mushrooms, and silky greens in a rich soy-garlic sauce. It has the kind of dark, restaurant-style finish that feels premium on the plate while staying simple, balanced, and highly appealing for both search and presentation. ✨

Hook ✨

Silky tofu, meaty shiitake, and glossy bok choy in a deep savory sauce make this Chinese fasting dish feel comforting, polished, and full of flavor from the very first spoonful. 🥢

Ingredients

• Tofu and vegetables 🌿
• 🧈 400 g firm tofu (14 oz)
• 🍄 180 g shiitake mushrooms, sliced (6.3 oz)
• 🥬 250 g bok choy, halved or quartered (8.8 oz)
• 🧅 80 g onion, thinly sliced (⅔ cup / 2.8 oz)
• 🧄 12 g garlic, finely chopped (3 cloves / 0.42 oz)
• 🫚 12 g fresh ginger, finely grated (1 tbsp / 0.42 oz)
• 🌻 30 ml neutral oil (2 tbsp / 1 fl oz)
• Sauce 🥢
• 🥢 45 ml light soy sauce (3 tbsp / 1.5 fl oz)
• 🍶 15 ml dark soy sauce (1 tbsp / 0.5 fl oz)
• 🍬 10 g brown sugar (2 tsp / 0.35 oz)
• 🌿 10 ml toasted sesame oil (2 tsp / 0.34 fl oz)
• 💧 180 ml vegetable stock or water (¾ cup / 6 fl oz)
• 🌽 10 g cornstarch (1 tbsp / 0.35 oz)
• 💧 15 ml cold water (1 tbsp / 0.5 fl oz)
• For finishing ✨
• 🧅 10 g spring onion, finely sliced (2 tbsp / 0.35 oz)
• ⚪ 5 g white sesame seeds (1 tsp / 0.18 oz)
• 🌶️ chili oil, optional for serving

Preparation

1. 1️⃣ Press and cut the tofu 🧈
2. Pat the tofu dry, wrap it in kitchen paper, and press it gently for 15 min to remove excess moisture. Cut into medium cubes so it keeps its shape while braising and absorbs more sauce. ✨
3. 2️⃣ Mix the sauce 🥢
4. In a bowl, stir together the light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, and stock. In a small separate cup, mix the cornstarch with the cold water until smooth so it is ready to thicken the sauce later. 🌽
5. 3️⃣ Brown the tofu 🔥
6. Heat the neutral oil in a wide pan or wok over medium heat. Add the tofu and cook for 6–8 min, turning carefully, until lightly golden on several sides. Lift it out onto a plate and keep aside. 🥄
7. 4️⃣ Cook the aromatics and mushrooms 🍄
8. In the same pan, add the onion, garlic, ginger, and shiitake mushrooms. Stir-fry for 4–5 min until the mushrooms soften, the onion turns glossy, and the pan smells deeply savory and fragrant. 🧄
9. 5️⃣ Build the braise 🥬
10. Pour in the sauce mixture and bring it to a gentle simmer. Return the tofu to the pan, add the bok choy, cover loosely, and cook for 5–6 min until the greens are tender but still vibrant. 🌿
11. 6️⃣ Thicken and finish ✨
12. Stir the cornstarch slurry again, then pour it into the pan while stirring gently. Cook for 1–2 min until the sauce turns glossy and lightly thickened around the tofu and vegetables. Finish with spring onion, sesame seeds, and a few drops of chili oil if using. 🥢

Total Time

⏱ Prep: 20 min
🔥 Cook/Bake: 20 min
🛋 Rest: 15 min
⏰ Total: 55 min

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