Dubu-jorim (Braised Tofu)
Dubu-jorim, braised tofu, is one of the most common banchan on a Korean table, and jorim simply means simmered down in a seasoned liquid. The usual recipe pan-fries the tofu in oil first; a nonstick pan and a little patience give the same golden crust with none of it. The braise reduces two tablespoons of tamari, garlic, and gochugaru into a glaze thick enough to cling, so the salt ends up concentrated on the surface where you taste it most, and a mashed date does the balancing work of the customary sugar. Serve it as a side, or make it the protein over a bowl of brown rice.
Ingredients
- 14 oz Firm tofu, one block, pressed and cut into 1/2-inch (1 cm) slabs
- 2 tbsp Low-sodium tamari
- 1 tbsp Gochugaru
- 3 cloves Garlic, minced
- 1 tsp Ginger, grated
- 1 piece Deglet noor dates, pitted, mashed with 2 tbsp (30 ml) hot water into a paste
- 3 pieces Scallions, whites minced, greens sliced
- 1 tbsp Sesame seeds, toasted
Method
- Press the tofu block between paper towels under a weight for 10 minutes, then cut it into slabs. Pressing out the water is what lets the tofu brown in a dry pan and later soak up sauce, rather than steaming and staying pale.
- Set a nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Lay the slabs in dry and cook 4 to 5 minutes a side, undisturbed, until each face is golden and a firm skin has formed. That seared crust is the surface the sauce grabs onto, and it holds the slabs together through the braise.
- Meanwhile, stir together the tamari, gochugaru, garlic, ginger, date paste, scallion whites, and 1/3 cup (80 ml) water. The date balances the chile and the tamari's edge the way a spoon of sugar usually does in this dish.
- Pour the sauce around the tofu in the pan and bring it to a simmer. Spoon it over the slabs and cook 5 to 7 minutes, tilting the pan and basting, until the liquid reduces to a thick glaze that clings to the tofu. Basting drives the flavor into the seared surface as the sauce tightens.
- Scatter the scallion greens and sesame seeds over the top. Serve warm or at room temperature with rice. Reducing the sauce onto the tofu means the two tablespoons of tamari end up as a coating, not a puddle, so a little seasons a lot.
Nutrition
Estimated per serving: 120 calories, 11 g protein, 2 g fiber, 330 mg sodium. Computed from USDA FoodData Central reference values for the main ingredients. This is an approximation, not a laboratory measurement. How these are computed.
Cost per serving is estimated from US national-average retail prices for cheap staple forms, using BLS dried-bean prices and USDA produce prices. Prices vary by store and season, so treat it as a guide, not a receipt. How this is computed.
