Why I Love Tofu Steak
Searching for a fast and comfy tofu dish? This Japanese Tofu Steak with Mushroom Ankake Sauce is a scrumptious solution to get pleasure from tofu at residence. The tofu is frivolously coated in flour and pan-fried till golden, then served with a shiny, thick sauce full of mushrooms, carrots, and ginger. It’s a straightforward, wholesome dish that pairs superbly with rice and miso soup for an entire meal.
- Crispy outdoors, silky inside—so satisfying!
- Prepared in underneath half-hour with pantry elements
- A scrumptious vegetarian major dish stuffed with umami
Love tofu recipes? Attempt my Mapo Tofu, Agedashi Tofu, and Teriyaki Tofu subsequent!
What Are Tofu Steak and Ankake?
Tofu steak (豆腐ステーキ) is a thick slice of drained tofu that’s pan-fried till golden and crispy on the skin, but tender and smooth on the within. Ankake (あんかけ) refers to a shiny, savory sauce thickened with potato starch (katakuriko), impressed by Chinese language-style cooking. Ready plain or with elements like mushrooms or minced meat, ankake is commonly served over tofu, yakisoba fried noodles, omelettes and eggs, and fried rice.
Substances for Japanese Tofu Steak
- medium-firm tofu (momen dofu)
- mushroom ankake sauce:
- enoki mushroom and shimeji mushroom (brown beech)
- carrot
- inexperienced onion/scallion
- vegetable inventory/broth, soy sauce, mirin, sugar, ginger, and garlic – for the sauce combination
- potato starch and water – or use cornstarch; for the thickening slurry
- all-purpose flour – or use cake flour for a extra delicate crust
- salt and black pepper
- toasted sesame oil
Discover the printable recipe with measurements under.
How one can Make Japanese Tofu Steak
- Drain the tofu. Wrap tofu in paper towels and microwave for 1½–2 minutes to take away extra water or press it underneath a plate with a weight for half-hour. Lower it into 1-inch slabs.
- Put together the greens. Slice the inexperienced onion, julienne the carrot, and trim and separate the enoki and shimeji mushrooms. Grate the ginger and mince the garlic.
- Combine the sauce. In a bowl, mix broth, soy sauce, mirin, sugar, grated ginger, and garlic. In a separate small bowl, combine potato starch and water to make a slurry.
- Pan-fry the tofu. Season either side of tofu with salt and pepper, then frivolously coat with flour. Warmth oil in a pan over medium warmth and fry both sides for 3 minutes till golden, wiping off the browned flour within the pan as you go. Switch to a plate.
- Prepare dinner the ankake sauce. Sauté the inexperienced onion (white half), carrot, and mushrooms. Pour within the sauce combination and simmer for five minutes. Briskly stir within the slurry to thicken the sauce.
- Serve. Spoon over the tofu and sprinkle with the inexperienced onion garnish. Serve instantly and revel in!
Nami’s Recipe Suggestions
These easy suggestions will make it easier to make completely crisp tofu and a silky-smooth ankake sauce each time.
- Drain tofu properly – Moist tofu received’t crisp correctly.
- Use cake flour – It’ll provide you with a lighter, extra delicate crust in comparison with all-purpose flour; see the best way to make cake flour at residence.
- Shake off extra flour – Intention for a lightweight coating on the tofu for a crisp texture and clear taste.
- Don’t overcrowd the pan – Give every slice area to brown evenly and keep crispy.
- Let the tofu sear undisturbed – It’ll flip golden brown and crisp sooner this fashion. Sometimes, you possibly can gently press down with a spatula.
- Take away burnt flour – Wipe off the browned flour within the pan with a paper towel to maintain the oil clear so it doesn’t darken and destroy the tofu crust.
- Add slurry slowly – Then, stir consistently so the sauce thickens easily and evenly.
- Modify sauce thickness – If the ankake sauce turns too thick, add a small splash of water to loosen it. If it’s too skinny, stir in somewhat extra slurry or simmer briefly to thicken.
- Serve straight away – The tofu is crispiest and the ankake sauce is most shiny when freshly made, so get pleasure from it instantly for the most effective style and texture.
Variations and Customizations
Seeking to change issues up? Attempt these simple and engaging concepts!
- Add protein. Sauté shrimp, minced rooster, or floor pork for a heartier, extra satisfying model.
- Change the mushrooms. Create a wealthy mushroom sauce with shiitake, maitake, and/or oyster mushrooms for a deep, umami taste.
- Add spice. Prime with grated daikon and sprinkle shichimi togarashi, or drizzle chili oil (la-yu) to provide the sauce further depth and a delicate kick.
- Swap the inventory. Use rooster broth as an alternative of vegetable broth for a savory, comforting be aware.
- Add coloration with greens. Stir in bok choy, spinach, or komatsuna for further coloration, vitamins, and freshness.
What to Serve with Japanese Tofu Steak
Spherical out your meal with:
Storage and Reheating Suggestions
To retailer: Preserve leftover tofu and sauce in separate hermetic containers. Retailer within the fridge for as much as 3 days.
To reheat: Reheat gently on the stovetop or within the microwave till heat.
Often Requested Questions
Sure, you should utilize smooth or silken tofu. It breaks simply, so I recommend practising this recipe with medium tofu first earlier than making an attempt silken tofu. You should use agency tofu, though the feel won’t be smooth.
It’s greatest to make ankake sauce proper earlier than serving for the perfect shiny texture and consistency. If you first make the sauce within the pot, it could look completely thick. However as soon as you permit it out, it will possibly grow to be runny. This occurs when moisture from the elements—particularly high-water ones like cabbage, bok choy, bean sprouts, mushrooms, or tofu—seeps out and thins the sauce. When you’d like to save lots of time, you possibly can put together the sauce as much as 2–3 days prematurely and retailer it in an hermetic container within the fridge. When reheating, add the starch slurry simply earlier than serving. This step helps maintain the sauce {smooth}, shiny, and steady, with out separating.
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For the Mushroom Ankake Sauce
To Drain the Tofu
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Wrap ½ block medium-firm tofu (momen dofu) in 2–3 layers of paper towels. Place it on a microwave-safe plate.
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Warmth within the microwave at 600W for 1½–2 minutes to empty the water from the tofu. If you do not have a microwave, you possibly can press the tofu utilizing a plate with a heavy object on high for half-hour.
To Lower the Substances
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Lower the drained tofu in half horizontally into 2 slabs about ¾-inch (2 cm) thick. Put aside.
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Lower 1 inexperienced onion/scallion diagonally into skinny slices. Preserve the white and inexperienced elements in separate piles.
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Peel 2 inches carrot and slice lengthwise into skinny slabs, then julienne into skinny matchsticks.
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Trim off the soiled, dry “root” finish from ¼ bundle enoki mushrooms. Lower crosswise in half, then separate the enoki stems into small clusters along with your arms.
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Trim off the foundation finish from ⅓ bundle shimeji (brown beech) mushrooms and separate the mushrooms.
To Mix the Sauce Combination
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Peel and grate 1 inch ginger (I take advantage of a ceramic grater). Add ½–1 tsp grated ginger with juice to 1 cup vegetable inventory/broth in a bowl or measuring cup. Mince and add 1 clove garlic (I take advantage of a garlic press).
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Add 1 Tbsp soy sauce, 1 Tbsp mirin, and 1 tsp sugar to the broth and stir to dissolve.
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Combine 2 tsp potato starch or cornstarch and 1 Tbsp water in a small bowl to make a slurry.
To Prepare dinner the Ankake Sauce
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Add 1 Tbsp sesame oil (as wanted), white a part of the inexperienced onion, and carrot strips to the identical pan over medium warmth. Toss to coat within the oil with a picket spatula.
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Add the mushrooms and stir-fry to coat with oil.
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Subsequent, give the sauce combination a fast stir and add it to the pan. Convey to a simmer over medium warmth and prepare dinner for 5 minutes. Nami’s Tip: If the sauce evaporates and turns too thick, add a small splash of water to loosen it. If it is too skinny, stir in a bit extra slurry or simmer briefly to cut back and thicken.
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Give the slurry a fast stir, then pour it slowly into the pan whereas stirring briskly till the sauce thickens. As soon as it turns into shiny and translucent, flip off the warmth.Nami’s Tip: In case your sauce is simply too thick, slowly add 1–2 Tbsp water and stir rapidly with a spatula to examine the consistency. If the sauce is simply too skinny, you possibly can let it simmer a bit longer.
Seeking to change issues up? Attempt these simple and engaging concepts!
- Add protein. Sauté shrimp, minced rooster, or floor pork for a heartier, extra satisfying model.
- Change the mushrooms. Create a wealthy mushroom sauce with shiitake, maitake, and/or oyster mushrooms for a deep, umami taste.
- Add spice. Prime with grated daikon and sprinkle shichimi togarashi, or drizzle chili oil (la-yu) to provide the sauce further depth and a delicate kick.
- Swap the inventory. Use rooster broth as an alternative of vegetable broth for a savory, comforting be aware.
- Add coloration with greens. Stir in bok choy, spinach, or komatsuna for further coloration, vitamins, and freshness.
Did you make this recipe?
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