Tofu Steak with Mushroom Sauce
Author: 
Recipe type: Main
Serves: 4
 
Ingredients
  • FOR TOFU:
  • 2 package medium-firm tofu
  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 2 tablespoons shoyu (soy sauce)
  • FOR MUSHROOM SAUCE:
  • 1 pack enoki mushroomS
  • 1 pack maitake or shimeji Japanese mushrooms
  • 5 dried shiitake mushrooms
  • 4 fresh shiitake mushrooms
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1½ cups warm water
  • ½ teaspoon dried
  • dashi
  • powder (either konbu/seaweed dashi or dried bonito dashi)
  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons mirin
  • 1 tablespoon potato starch
  • 2 tablespoons water
Instructions
  1. Soak dried shiitake mushrooms in warm water for 20 - 30 minutes and reserve water.
  2. Wrap tofu in a cheesecloth and let rest for 20 minutes on a cutting board propped at an angle to drain off the water. Or, let tofu rest in a strainer, which is what I ended up doing. Slice tofu block in half, horizontally.
  3. Cook tofu: heat vegetable oil in frying pan over medium heat. Add tofu and fry on each side until brown or desired crispiness. Remove from heat and immediately sprinkle with soy sauce.
  4. Remove bottom part of the enoki mushrooms. Separate maitake and shimeji mushrooms into smaller pieces with your hands. Remove the stems from the shiitake and slice caps.
  5. Heat a tablespoon of vegetable oil in a saucepan and briefly cook the mushrooms. Add the reserved shiitake mushroom water, dried dashi, soy sauce and mirin and bring to a boil.
  6. Dissolve potato starch in 2 tablespoons cold water and add to the sauce. As soon as it thickens remove from heat. (Adjust starch for desired thickness.)
  7. Transfer tofu to individual serving plates and top with the mushroom sauce.
Notes
Recipe compliments of What's Cooking in Japan.
Recipe by Bebe Love Okazu at https://bebeloveokazu.com/2010/07/08/tofu-steak/