On chilly rainy days like this, enjoying a bowl of hot rice with soft and sweet steamed tofu is simply delightful. Today, TasteVN will take you into the kitchen to guide you through 2 recipes for steamed dishes made from tofu!
1. Steamed Tofu with Mushrooms
Preparation
15 minutes
Cooking
45 minutes
Difficulty
Easy
Ingredients for Steamed Tofu with Mushrooms Serves 2
Soft tofu 1 piece Whole soy sauce 1.5 tablespoons White enoki mushrooms 50 gr Brown enoki mushrooms 50 gr Shiitake mushrooms 5 pieces Lemongrass 2 stalks Celery 10 gr Chili peppers 2 pieces Green pepper 10 gr Spring onion 5 gr Coconut water 1/2 cup Black pepper 1 tablespoon Soy sauce 3 tablespoons Seasoning powder 1 tablespoon Coconut milk 1 tablespoon Coconut water 100 ml Cooking oil 1 tablespoon
How to choose fresh and delicious mushrooms
How to choose enoki mushrooms
- Origin: The product packaging will clearly indicate the source and quarantine certification.
- Shape and color: Mushrooms should be bean-shaped and fresh; the caps should be firm, white, and shiny; the stems should not have any liquid oozing out or be bruised; the base of the mushrooms should not be separated or crumbled.
- Expiration date: Preferably choose the latest production date printed on the packaging.
How to choose shiitake mushrooms
You can use either dried or fresh shiitake mushrooms!
For dried shiitake mushrooms:
- The shape of dried shiitake mushrooms is similar to fresh shiitake mushrooms, but they are lighter due to being dried.
- Choose mushrooms that are not broken and have caps that are light brown (there should not be significant color changes when the mushrooms are dried).
- In particular, you need to pay attention to the smell, which should not be musty or have an unusual odor, and the mushrooms should not show any white mold spots.
For fresh shiitake mushrooms:
- Fresh shiitake mushrooms look like an umbrella and should not be bruised.
- You should choose mushrooms of moderate size, with short stems, tightly closed caps, and a slightly yellow-brown color.
- Fresh mushrooms have a characteristic, natural aroma.
Note: You can choose other types of mushrooms to substitute for those mentioned in the article, depending on your preference.
See more details: How to choose and prepare common types of mushrooms used in dishes
Tools needed
Steamer pot, pan, knife,…
How to Prepare Steamed Tofu with Mushrooms
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Prepare and Marinate Tofu
Cut the tofu in half. Use a knife to lightly score the surface of the tofu with diagonal lines so that it absorbs the seasoning better when marinated.
Marinate the tofu with 1 tablespoon of pepper, 2 tablespoons of soy sauce, and 1 tablespoon of seasoning.
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Prepare Mushrooms
Soak the dried shiitake mushrooms until soft, then rinse with clean water and gently squeeze to drain. Remove the stems and slice the mushrooms into thin pieces.
Wash the enoki mushrooms and cut them into sections.
Tip for Soaking Dried Shiitake Mushrooms Quickly Soft and Clean from Sand
- Wash the dried shiitake mushrooms under running water to remove dirt, soak them in hot water at 60 – 80 degrees Celsius for about 7 – 10 minutes for them to expand.
- While soaking, ensure the mushroom stems are submerged under the water.
- After soaking, gently rub them to remove any remaining dirt, rinse with clean water, and cut off the stems, and they are ready to be used (the stems are very tough, and leaving them in during cooking will not taste good).
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Prepare and stir-fry the ingredients
Lemongrass smashed and cut into pieces. Celery washed clean and cut into pieces. Chopped scallions and minced chili.
Finely chopped fermented soybeans, put into a bowl. Crush half of the green pepper, keep the other half whole for decoration.
Place a pan on the stove over medium heat. Add about 1 tablespoon of cooking oil to the pan. Then add the scallions, lemongrass pieces, crushed green pepper, fermented soybeans, and minced chili to the pan in turn. Stir well for about 3 – 5 minutes until the ingredients start to smell fragrant, then add the shiitake mushrooms and stir-fry until fragrant.
When the shiitake mushrooms are soft and fragrant, add the enoki mushrooms, 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, and 100ml of coconut water to the pan. Then cook all the ingredients on low heat for about 10 minutes, then remove the mushrooms to a bowl.
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Steam the tofu
Put a pot of water on the stove. Place the steamer into the pot. Boil for about 10 minutes to stabilize the temperature inside the steamer.
Next, place the marinated tofu into a bowl, adding the whole green pepper into the bowl.
Finally, steam for 15 minutes then turn off the heat.
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Final Product
You add a tablespoon of coconut milk on top of the tofu to enhance the richness of the dish.
The mushrooms are chewy and sweet, eaten with soft, nutty tofu that is seasoned just right. A little spicy kick from green pepper and lemongrass makes the dish even more delicious when served with hot rice.
Below, TasteVN will introduce you to another way to make this steamed mushroom tofu dish, with a simple, unique recipe that is incredibly tasty.See details: Simple recipe for steamed vegetarian mushroom tofu for a light meal
2. Steamed Tofu with Fermented Bean Sauce
Preparation
10 minutes
Cooking
30 minutes
Difficulty
Easy
Ingredients for Steamed Tofu with Fermented Bean Sauce Serves 2
Fried tofu 2 pieces Chicken thigh mushrooms 1 piece White fermented bean sauce 1/2 tablespoon Red fermented bean sauce 1/2 tablespoon Cooking oil 1 tablespoon Sugar 1 tablespoon Minced ginger 1.5 teaspoons
Note:
- Using fried tofu or plain tofu is fine.
- You can buy or make fermented tofu at home.
See more details: How to make delicious and rich fermented tofu at home
Tools needed
Steamer pot, frying pan, cutting board, knife,…
How to make Steamed Tofu with Fermented Tofu
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Prepare the tofu
Use a knife to make square cuts on the surface of the tofu so that it absorbs the seasonings evenly when marinated.
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Prepare the mushrooms
Cut off the dirty part of the mushroom stems, then soak them in diluted salt water for about 3 minutes, then rinse with clean water. After that, chop the chicken leg mushrooms finely.
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Stir-fry the filling
Heat a pan over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon of cooking oil to the pan. When the oil is hot, add the mushrooms and stir-fry. Then gradually add the red fermented tofu and white fermented tofu to the pan, reducing the heat. Mash the fermented tofu and mix well with the mushrooms.
Next, season with 1 tablespoon of sugar, stir well, then add 1 teaspoon of minced ginger and stir for about 2 minutes before turning off the heat, and transfer the filling to a bowl.
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Add filling to the tofu
Gently separate the cut lines on the surface of the tofu piece with your hands. Spoon the filling onto the tofu piece, especially into the grooves of the tofu.
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Steam the tofu
Put a pot of water on the stove and place a steamer inside. Boil for about 5 – 10 minutes to stabilize the temperature in the pot.
Finally, place the plate of tofu into the steamer. Cover it and steam for about 15 minutes, then turn off the heat.
Sprinkle some finely chopped ginger on top of the tofu to make the dish more visually appealing.
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Finished product
The tofu is soft and creamy combined with the rich, spicy flavor of the fermented tofu. You can serve the steamed fermented tofu with hot rice to enhance the meal’s flavor.
3. Hong Kong Steamed Tofu
Preparation
20 minutes
Cooking
20 minutes
Difficulty
Easy
Ingredients for Hong Kong Steamed Tofu Serves 3 people
Firm tofu 1 piece Green onions 3 stalks Enoki mushrooms 40 grams Ginger 1/2 piece Chili peppers 2 pieces Soy sauce 2 tablespoons Oyster sauce 1 tablespoon Sesame oil 1 tablespoon Seasoning powder 1 tablespoon Ground pepper 1/2 tablespoon Filtered water 50 ml
Cooking Tools
Ingredient Image
How to Cook Hong Kong Steamed Tofu
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Prepare the Ingredients
The tofu you bought should be placed in a basket to drain excess water, then cut it in half horizontally.
Cut the green onions into long segments, then use a knife to slice the onions in half and use your hands to shred them into small strands.
For the enoki mushrooms, cut off the stems, wash them thoroughly, and then separate them into bite-sized pieces by hand.
Peel the ginger, wash it, and cut it into strips. Wash the chili peppers and cut them into strips.
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Make the steaming sauce
Add 2 tablespoons of soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce, 1 tablespoon of sesame oil, 1 tablespoon of seasoning powder, 1/2 tablespoon of ground pepper, and 50 ml of purified water into a bowl, and stir well to mix the ingredients together.
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Steam tofu in Hong Kong style
Place the prepared tofu on a plate, then drizzle the sauce you just made over it.
Next, add the green onions, enoki mushrooms, ginger, and chili on top of the tofu in order.
Put the plate into a steamer and cook for about 10 minutes on low heat.
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Final Product
With this simple recipe, you have a plate of beautifully presented steamed vegetarian tofu, soft tofu that blends with the rich sauce, both delicious and very light. Enjoy this dish with hot white rice, guaranteed to be very appetizing~
How to choose good tofu
- Good tofu will have a white color. Conversely, tofu with gypsum usually has a yellower color; the yellower it is, the more gypsum it contains. Therefore, you should avoid buying pieces of tofu that are yellow or turning yellow.
- If the tofu feels soft to the touch and feels light, it is advisable to buy it. Pieces that are heavy, firm, and a bit hard should not be purchased.
- Pure tofu will have a fragrant smell, while tofu containing gypsum will have a smell of lime or no smell at all.
- Good tofu will have the characteristic fatty taste of soybeans, while tofu with a lot of gypsum will have a bitter taste.
- Additionally, to ensure quality and hygiene, you can make tofu at home.
See more:
It is really simple to make 2 steamed tofu dishes that are delicious and nutritious. Let’s get cooking right away!
*Refer to images and recipes from 2 YouTube channels Delicious Food Every Day, Miraculous Sound and Tiktok Green Vegetarian Kitchen!
*You are invited to explore more delicious vegetarian recipes at the channel Tiktok Green Vegetarian Kitchen!
