Pepper & Mushroom Tofu

Meals

Jan 22

Written By Ben McElroy

Why Make It?

Oyster sauce and mushrooms make a classic umami pairing. The pan fried tofu and sauteed onions turn this into comfort food.
If you are new to tofu, this recipe relies on typical ingredients so that you don't have to walk down every aisle of your Asian market. Not that there's anything wrong with that.
This is one of those dishes that is just as good or better the next day. It even freezes well.

Keys to Success

Browning the tofu fully on about half the sides develops flavor while keeping a great pillowy texture. Thoroughly drying the tofu helps it brown faster.
Shortly sauteing the bell peppers adds much needed texture and crunch to the dish.
Cooking the mushrooms separately allows them to develop a deeper flavor. Adding water at the beginning cuts down on the cooking time and uses less oil.

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Author Thoughts

This dish is meant to be an easy and approachable tofu dish. It’s pretty flexible too. You can substitute the bell peppers and mushroom for any vegetable you have in the fridge. I always have tofu on hand and this is a great option to use up everything in the fridge.

Equipment

large non-stick pan - medium pot

Pepper & Mushroom Tofu

Makes: 5 Servings | Prep Time: 12 min | Cook Time: 25 min | Total Time: 37 min

Ingredients

Pan Fried Tofu

1 pack firm tofu
1 tbsp cumin
1 tbsp cardamom
1 tbsp black pepper
kosher salt [~2 tsp diamond crystal]

Brown Sauce Base

1 large onion
2 green bell peppers
8 oz mushrooms [your choice]
1 cup oyster sauce
1 cup vegetable broth
1 tbsp neutral oil
kosher salt [~3 tsp diamond crystal]
rice vinegar, to taste

White Rice

2-3 cups white rice

Instructions

Rice: Make some white rice using your rice variety of choice. Cook it based on your favorite method or package directions.
Mushrooms: Slice the mushrooms of your choice. Add a large non-stick pan to medium high heat. Once hot, add the mushrooms along with a splash of water. Salt the mushrooms. When the mushrooms have softened, add 1 tsp of oil. Cook until browned on all sides. Remove from the pan.
Prep: While the mushrooms are sauteing, slice onions and bell peppers. Mince the garlic. Cube tofu into 1 inch cubes and dry thoroughly. Salt the tofu and add spices.
Pan Fry: Using the same non-stick pan on medium heat, add oil and the seasoned tofu. Turn the tofu cubes after significant browning. [See Image #1] Brown 3-4 sides of the tofu cubes.
Saute: Turn a burner to medium heat with a medium pot. Once hot, add 2 tsp of oil and the onions. Salt the onions. Cook for about 10 minutes, just until soft. Add the bell peppers and garlic. Cook for another minute. Add the mushrooms, oyster sauce, and vegetable broth.
Simmer: Bring to a simmer. Add the tofu and simmer for another 2 minutes. Take out the heat. Add rice vinegar to taste. Salt to taste.

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Comments

Substitutions

Oyster Sauce: Using a mushroom oyster sauce makes this dish vegan and vegetarian. Look for vegetarian mushroom oyster sauce.

Vegetables: Snap peas, zucchini, or even cabbage would be good vegetable alternatives.

Additions: Ginger is an option. If you are looking to add even more umami depth, I would recommend using some doenjang, miso paste or dark soy sauce. For some heat, gochujang, gochugaru flakes, or cayenne pepper would all be great options.