Got Tofu? Make Spicy Braised Tofu (Dubu-jorim) as a Side Dish

How much of each ingredient do you need?

Measurements: a tablespoon here means one level ordinary Korean table spoon (about 15 ml), and a teaspoon means one teaspoon (about 5 ml).

Why is it easier to mix the braising sauce ahead of time?

Mix the sauce in a bowl before you cut the tofu. Combine 1 tablespoon each of soy sauce and gochugaru, 1 teaspoon of sugar, and 120 ml of water with 1/4 teaspoon of salt, and stir until the sugar dissolves. While you fry the tofu it is hard to step away from the pan, so having the sauce ready lets you pour it in right after stir-frying the vegetables.

The gochugaru settles to the bottom, so stir once more right before you pour. The soy sauce already adds saltiness, so use only the 1/4 teaspoon of salt from the ingredient table.

How do you make it step by step?

1. Cut the tofu about 6 mm thick and press out the moisture with paper towels. Finely chop the onion, chives, and garlic.

2. Stir the braising sauce you mixed earlier once to check that the sugar and gochugaru have dissolved evenly.

3. Add oil to the pan, put in the tofu, and fry until both sides are golden and firm, then take it out. Count on 7 to 8 minutes per side, and adjust the heat so it doesn't burn.

4. Stir-fry the onion, garlic, and chives in the remaining oil. When the onion is cooked, add the sauce and reduce it slightly.

5. Return the tofu to the pan and coat it in the sauce for about 1 minute. Sprinkle with the sesame oil, sesame seeds, and the chives you set aside.

What should you check to avoid mistakes?

• Drain the tofu well so the oil doesn't spatter when you add it to the pan.
• If you swap fine salt and coarse salt in the same volume, it can come out too salty.
• Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours.

Which tofu should you choose, and how do you drain it?

This dish keeps its shape when pan-fried and then gets coated in sauce. Firm tofu is easier to handle than soft tofu you would eat with a spoon. Prepare it by the weight printed on the package, and don't set the amount of sauce based on the word "one block" alone. If you use several blocks of different sizes, the total amount can differ a lot even though each is called one block.

After you cut it, lightly touch paper towels to the surface to soak up moisture. If you press or twist thin slices hard, they can split before you even fry them. Also check that no water is pooled on the bottom side before moving them to the pan. Draining the tofu isn't about drying it out completely; it is about reducing the water that spatters when it hits hot oil.

How do you tell when to flip the tofu?

If you keep pushing or turning the tofu right after it goes in the pan, the still-fragile surface tears easily. Watch for the underside to turn golden and the edges to firm up a little, then slide a wide spatula all the way under. Support it broadly instead of lifting just one edge, and the thin slices break less. Before you pull it free by force because it's stuck, check whether the heat is too high and whether the surface has cooked enough.

How long one side takes depends on the thickness of the pan and your burner. If the surface darkens quickly, don't leave it on the same heat just because there is time left. Look at the color difference between the edge and the center of the pan, and move the pieces around carefully. A pan that holds the tofu in a single layer without stacking makes it easier to watch the side you are browning.

Why reduce the sauce separately and then combine?

Taking the tofu out first lessens the chance of it breaking while you stir the onion and garlic. Add the sauce to the pan with the cooked vegetables and let it thicken slightly, then turn the tofu back in and coat it briefly. This isn't a long braise swimming in sauce, so don't wait until the bottom dries out. If the sauce is too thick, it can clump on one side before it coats the tofu evenly.

Even a level 1 teaspoon of coarse and fine salt holds different weights of salt. Since soy sauce is also in the mix, use only 1/4 teaspoon of salt and taste just before it's done. If it tastes spicy, adding more and more sugar or soy sauce strengthens the seasoning beyond the heat. For the next batch, cut the gochugaru first, and don't pour in all of the leftover sauce this time and eat it regardless.

How do you choose the cookware you need?

A pan that spreads the tofu in a single layer makes it easier to brown the sides evenly. A wide spatula slid underneath breaks thin tofu less than tongs gripping the sides. Check that the spatula suits your pan's coating and heat source, and leave room in the pan to mix the sauce.