Tikoy recipe

Tikoy recipe

I love tikoy.  I say that every year and every year I mean it.  I am the happiest gal in the block whenever my friends would send me tikoy on Chinese New Year.  Over the years I have been receiving less and less … I’m lucky if I receive even one small one!  The emotional side of me thinks that I must have fewer friends than I used to, which is possible since I have kept mostly to myself for almost a decade now.  On the other hand, the logical side of me realizes that times are just hard and it has struck everyone, not just a few.

tikoy in different flavors

photo credit to interaksyon.com

If you go to the grocery or any Chinese store and check out what tikoy they have available you will probably see every color of the rainbow as they now make this in different flavors.

Affordability is subjective.  If you have the cash to spare it is affordable, but if you live hand to mouth or paycheck to paycheck then it may be a luxury you will opt to forego.  Or … hope that one of your Chinese friends would bless you with a tikoy.

My favorite is the brown tikoy, which is made with brown sugar.

How to make your own tikoy

It really isn’t difficult at all.  You need three ingredients: sugar, water, and glutinous flour.  By default, the tikoy will adapt the color of the sugar so if you use white sugar it comes out white.  To mix it up you could add food color (which is what I did to make my tikoy red) or add flavor.

Tikoy recipe

Chinese New Year cake
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
Course: Snack
Cuisine: Chinese
Keyword: Chinese cooking, sweet cake

Equipment

  • pan
  • mixing bowl
  • whisk or spatula
  • steamer

Ingredients

  • 2 1/4 cups water
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 3 c glutinous rice flour

Instructions

Preparation

  • Combine the water and sugar in a pan. Turn on the heat and mix until the sugar is completely melted and you have a thin syrup. Set it aside and cool down to room temperature.
  • Sift the glutinous flour into a bowl. Add the syrup into the bowl a little at a time while mixing. Make sure there are no lumps.
  • Oil your baking pan/s well. Alternately, you can line your pan/s with wax paper as removing the cake from the pan when it is cooked is not always easy.
  • Pour in the batter a little over 3/4 of the way up.

Cooking

  • Prepare your steamer, make sure it is already steaming before putting the pans in.
  • Place the pans in the steamer and cook for an hour. If you have a cheesecloth you will want to cover the pans with it before putting the lid of the steamer so that no liquid will drop into the batter.

Resting

  • Remove the pan/s from the steamer and leave it out to rest and set. Don't get tempted to pry it off. It will shrink as it turns cooler. This will take around 2 hours.
  • Once you have removed the cake/s from the pan, put it in a container and chill in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours, longer is better. like overnight.
  • In the morning the tikoy will be ready to slice, fry, and serve. 🙂

The usual way of serving tikoy

The no-brainer way to serve tikoy is fried.

  1. Cut the tikoy into thin slices.
  2. Beat an egg in a bowl and dip each slice to coat before frying.
  3. Lightly oil a frying pan and fry each piece on both sides.  You know the tikoy is ready when the center is soft and the egg coating is browned.
  4. Serve and enjoy.
Purefoods Ready to Eat Viands Part 2: Beef Pares Japchae

Purefoods Ready to Eat Viands Part 2: Beef Pares Japchae

Welcome back to my kitchen. 🙂  For dinner today I took a look at my stash of Purefoods Ready to Eat Viands and after a lot of thought, I decided to do something different with the Purefoods Beef Pares.

Purefoods RTE Beef Pares

Beef pares brings back a lot of memories for me.  It is one of those dishes that late-night denizens are wont to enjoy – it is served quickly and every bite is flavorful and filling.  For many years my husband and I would drop by the pares restaurant not too far from our house after a gig just to grab a bite before heading home.  But while it is quick and easy for us, the patrons, preparing it takes a lot of time.  This is one reason I am quite thankful that Purefoods decided to produce this line – for doing the slow cooking for me.

Quick and Easy

On its own, this ready to eat viand is simple itself to prepare.  Whether you heat it up on the stovetop or the microwave, just put it in a container and heat up for 8 minutes and you’re done!  All that is left is to serve it then scoop a serving over hot rice.  This package is good enough for four people.

Extending the dish to feed more people

There are seven people in my household and if I served this dish as is then Not everyone will really get to eat (especially since half the family eats twice as much!) so, it was time to once again get creative in the kitchen.  Aside from the beef pares I had garlic, onions, carrots, mushrooms, and dangmyeon (Korean glass noodles).  I decided to make japchae.  With the addition of the noodles, this dish can now feed twice as many people.

Some notes:

When slicing the Purefoods Ready to Eat Beef Pares I would recommend doing this frozen so that the meat is easier to slice into strips and none of the sauce is wasted.

I used onion, carrot, and mushrooms, but really you could add any vegetable you want.  Some commonly used ingredients for japchae are leeks and broccoli, and some like using bell peppers.

Technically, I could have used any kind of noodles like canton, bihon, or sotanghon, but I like dangmyeon the best.  Sotanghon and dangmyeon are both vermicelli noodles but sotanghon is made from mung bean flour while dangmyeon is made from sweet potato flour.  Dangmyeon turns into glass noodles that are thick and kinda sticky, which is what I like about japchae.

The package I bought was 500 grams and for this recipe, I only used 300 grams but I cooked all of it anyway.  From personal experience I’ve noticed that usually when there is just a little bit of the dish left there is usually a lot more meat than noodles so I just add the remaining 200 grams to the leftovers, heat them together, and I just add japchae sauce.

This is the japchae sauce I used.  I think I bought this and the noodles from Landers but they might also be available at other grocery stores, I just never really looked.  You could also add this sauce to the beef pares japchae to make it more flavorful, but I would recommend trying it without first.

As a finishing touch, you can sprinkle toasted sesame seeds on your noodles.


Purefoods beef pares is a savory-sweet dish which made it perfect for making japchae.  It takes the guesswork out of having to make a japchae sauce and sourcing exotic ingredients … or buying a bottle of japchae sauce. 😀

Even though I am calling this a “level up” dish it is actually effortless to make!  In less than 20 minutes I was able to feed my family!  And, as my sister likes to say, it is a complete dish in itself. 🙂

Yum, yum!  Prepare this yourself and enjoy!  We did. 🙂

Beef Pares Japchae

This dish is a fusion of Filipino and Korean
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time12 minutes
Course: Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine: Filipino, Korean
Keyword: japchae, noodles, purefoods ready to eat
Servings: 8
Author: Penny Angeles-Tan

Equipment

  • chopping board
  • knife
  • peeler
  • large wok or pot

Ingredients

  • 1 pack Purefoods Ready to Eat Beef Pares frozen
  • 3 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 1 large onion, cut into strips
  • 1 carrot, julienned
  • 1 can mushrooms, pieces & stems
  • 300 grams vermicelli noodles I used Korean glass noodles aka dangmyeon
  • oil
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Preparation

  • Boil water in a pot. Once it is boiling place the noodles in and boil it for 5 minutes.
  • Rinse the noodles in cold water and set them aside.
  • While still frozen cut up the beef pares into strip-size and set aside. I would recommend putting it back in its original container so that none of the sauce is wasted.
  • Peel and chop the garlic, onion, and carrot. If you bought whole mushrooms just slice them thinly.

Cooking

  • On medium heat saute the garlic for about 30 seconds, add the onions. After a minute add the carrots and mushrooms and simmer.
  • Add the beef pares, mix, and simmer for another 8 minutes.
  • Add the noodles and mix until all the noodles are covered in the sauce of the pares. Add salt and pepper to taste.
  • Turn off the heat and serve. Your beef pares japchae is ready to eat!

Purefoods Ready to Eat Viands is available at all leading groceries and supermarkets.  The price varies depending on the variant that you get.

Why A Healthy Blood Leads to An Effective Immune System

Why A Healthy Blood Leads to An Effective Immune System

As Work-From-Home (WFH) becomes the new normal, the realities of performing work and home functions simultaneously may feel like a never-ending cycle. While everyone is trying their best to get a knack for winning in this situation, managing this new lifestyle stressor is not easy for all women, and coping might even be more difficult for working moms.

Pressures build up over time and if unaddressed, it can result in chronic stress that may also affect your blood health. If you notice yourself experiencing symptoms of prolonged fatigue, lack of energy, and lack of motivation, it is time to reassess your lifestyle as you may be experiencing a case of iron deficiency anemia.

Healthy blood leads to a healthier immune system

Ang Dugo Mo, Kamusta? — is the question that Multivitamins + Minerals (Sangobion IRON+) wants every Filipino to have for themselves and their loved ones. Iron Deficiency Anemia is a common case in Filipino women and those with chronic medical conditions. And most of those who have it have learned to function despite experiencing its symptoms.

When the body has iron deficiency anemia, it is unable to produce healthy red blood cells which store and carry oxygen to the other parts of the body. The risk of not addressing this condition may take a toll on the immune system and the body can be more susceptible to illnesses and infections

Small lifestyle changes to boost your blood health and immunity

Incorporating small healthy changes into your current WFH situation can help improve your blood health. Here are three easy ways to add to your daily schedule to fight iron deficiency anemia and keep your immunity healthy.

Perform quick 12-minute exercise routines daily

There are plenty of workout routines available online that you can complete in under 15 minutes. But if you still find those taxing, just keep in mind that the goal is to have your heart rate up a little, so think of it as working out efficiently by exerting the right amount of effort.

This can be as basic as going up and down the stairs, jumping rope, or even just walking around the house for 12 minutes. If you want more intensity, you can try high-intensity interval training (HIIT) with short but intense bursts of activity with short break periods.

Moderate exercise routines when done daily can boost your immunity. Plus, it also helps boost your energy for the day.

Help your body fight off iron deficiency anemia with Multivitamins + Minerals (Sangobion IRON+)

Sangobion Iron+Proper diet and nutrition help keep the body healthy. Going for nutritious meals over processed ones and choosing food rich in iron like red meat, beans, dark green leafy vegetables to add to your diet can benefit your body positively. But for those who are running on hectic daily schedules, monitoring a balanced diet might be a hard commitment to make.

Taking multivitamins daily can help the body get the nutrients and minerals it needs when your food intake won’t be able to provide them.

Multivitamins + Minerals (Sangobion IRON+) is an iron supplement with vitamins and minerals that helps replenish iron stores and increases red blood cell levels in the body.

It has ferrous gluconate, a type of iron salt that allows better absorption of iron in the body, Folic acid, and vitamin B12 which are vital for the production of red blood cells and during pregnancy. It also contains Vitamin C which helps improve iron absorption, and copper sulfate and manganese sulfate that helps in the metabolic processes of blood cell production.

Get quality sleep

Sleep is vital to having a strong immune system and while everyone is aware of this, not all are keeping close tabs on their sleeping routines. The National Sleep Foundation released sleep-quality recommendations, which include:

  • being able to fall asleep in 30 minutes or less,
  • waking up for five minutes or longer not more than once a night, you fall back asleep within 20 minutes, and
  • are asleep 85% of the time you spend in bed.

If you’re guilty of not meeting these recommendations, try to change up the way you get ready for bed.

  • Create a healthy sleep routine by going to bed and waking up at the same time daily to train your body and mind on a schedule.
  • Free yourself from your phone or tablet at least one hour before bedtime so your brain won’t be stimulated.
  • Establish a relaxing bedtime routine like reading a book, meditation, or drinking tea to put you into a state of calm.

Consider these small lifestyle changes an investment in your health. When you maintain healthy blood, it keeps you less vulnerable to getting illnesses and infections. Taking Multivitamins + Minerals (Sangobion IRON+) helps regulate your blood iron, so you won’t have to worry about experiencing symptoms of iron deficiency anemia.

If symptoms persist, consult your doctor.

Purefoods Ready to Eat Viands Part 1: Pork Humba Pao

Purefoods Ready to Eat Viands Part 1: Pork Humba Pao

Purefoods Ready to Eat variants

Purefoods Ready to Eat variants

Purefoods Ready to Eat Viands has 9 different variants and I decided to start with something easy … Pork Humba.  For those who are unfamiliar with Pork Humba, it is a sweet and savory dish.  This (in my opinion) makes it a perfect filling for siopao, as it will be reminiscent of Pork Asado.

Siopao (sometimes called steamed dumplings) is best known as a Chinese snack, often served with noodle soup.

It’s as easy as 1-2-3

pork humba

Purefoods Ready to Eat Viands: Pork Humba

Purefoods Ready to Eat Viands are truly easy to serve.  it only takes less than 10 minutes to feed our family.

  1. Take your selected Purefoods Ready to Eat viand from the freezer.
  2. Thaw it out in the chiller or drainboard.
  3. Open the package and pour its contents into a pan and heat for 8 to 10 minutes.

It’s that easy!  Usually served with hot rice. 🙂

This was the recipe provided by HomefoodiePH and Purefoods for Humba Pao:

Ingredients:

  • 1 pack Purefoods Ready to Eat
  • 6 pieces store-bought cua pao, reheated to package instructions
  • 6 tbsp. chopped peanuts
  • 3 tbsp. coriander (wansoy) leaves

Instructions:

  1. Slice humba into 1/4 inch thick slices. Reheat in a pan with the sauce.
  2. Assemble by placing a few slices of humba in the pao and drizzling with humba sauce. Serve with peanuts and coriander.

That recipe makes 6 servings.

What I ended up doing

I didn’t have any cua pao and I didn’t want to have to go to the grocery just to buy some.  But I did have the ingredients to make siopao buns, so that is what I did.  This is the recipe that I used.

Siopao bun

This is the recipe for making just the buns without the filling. You can fill the buns with any kind of food really. It could be savory, or sweet, or both!
Prep Time1 hour 32 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Chinese
Keyword: bread, bun, siopao
Servings: 12
Author: Penny Angeles-Tan

Equipment

  • mixing bowl
  • measuring spoons and cup
  • Rolling Pin
  • rolling mat or board
  • steamer

Ingredients

  • 1 cup warm water
  • 2 tsp dry instant yeast
  • 2 tbsp sugar
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 cups sugar
  • 2 tbsp oil use a neutral oil
  • 1 kalamansi (juice only)
  • a little more flour for dusting when kneading

Instructions

Prepping

  • Combine the water, yeast, 2 tbsp. sugar, and salt and mix. Make sure that the milk is not too hot or the yeast will die. Let it sit for about 10 minutes. You will know the yeast is alive and ready if it bubbles up.
  • In a mixing bowl combine the flour, baking powder, remaining sugar, oil, and kalamansi.
  • Pour the yeast mixture into the flour mixture and mix until fully blended. Knead until it turns into a dough that is smooth and not sticky.
  • Cover the bowl with a clean cloth and set it aside for 1 hour or until it doubles in size.

Assembling the pao

  • After an hour, take the dough out of the bowl and put it on your rolling mat or board and knead it a little more then roll it into a log and divide it into 12 equal (or as equal as you can make them) parts, and set them aside on a tray or mat without touching each other. You can roll them into balls for easier handling later. Cover with a cloth until you need them and let them rest for 30 minutes. The dough will rise even more.
  • Take one part and knead it and make a ball. Dust it with flour and flatten it with your palm then roll it into a flat disk (circle) making sure the center is thicker than the sides as the middle will hold the filling.
  • Place 1 to 2 spoons of the filling in the middle of the disk and then gently lift the edges to the middle in folds and then pinch and twist.
  • Take a small piece of baking paper (or waxed paper) and put the bun on it. This will prevent the filling from leaking out. Place the assembled bun on a plate or tray until you will cook it.
  • Repeat from step 2 of "assembling the pao" for the remaining dough balls.

It's time to steam

  • Place your steamer on the stove. Make sure there is water underneath or it won't steam. 🙂 Turn it on and wait a few minutes before putting the buns in
  • In the steaming tray place enough buns without touching. Keep in mind that the buns will still expand. It is likely that not all the buns will fit in one layer so you will need to either put another layer or just cook a second or third batch. Steam your buns for 20 minutes then turn off the stove and let the buns sit in the steamer for another 5 minutes before removing them.

Notes

Notes
  • You can fill these buns with anything you want.  Keep in mind, it is really just bread. 🙂
  • If you are cooking more than one layer of the buns, keep in mind that they will not cook the same because one layer will be hotter than the other.  In my experience, the buns at the bottom "blossom" better than the ones on the upper layers.
This recipe is based on research from 2 or 3 recipe sites and I adjusted based on my available ingredients and the amount of effort I was willing to put into it. 😀  This is loosely based on the pita recipe I followed last time but instead of grilling the bread, I steamed it.

This is the first time that I made this so while I got it to cook and taste the way it should, I couldn’t get the right technique to pinch it closed consistently, hehe.  The next time I make this I will most likely fold the buns into cua pao instead of siopao. 😀

How does the Pork Humba taste?

The Pork Humba ready to eat viand tasted just like pork humba should … savory and sweet at the same time.  The meat was just the right level of softness and was anything but tough or dry.

I will confess that instead of thawing it in the chiller or drainboard, I decided to put it in the pot frozen and thaw it gently on the stove in low heat.

I also decided to cut it up with scissors in the pot, instead of cutting it on the board with a knife.  This was because I didn’t want to waste any of the sauce.

I didn’t get to use all the humba when I made the paos so what was left I set aside I intend to eat tomorrow for lunch. 🙂

Feedback from the fam

pork humba

Purefoods Ready to Eat Viands: Pork Humba

They loved it!  They loved the flavor of the humba and the combination with the siopao bun (phew!)  Now I have one more new recipe to add to my repertoire.  Thanks for the assist, Purefoods!  And thank you, HomefoodiePH for the recipe suggestion. <3

Recipe: Tofu ala Bistek

Recipe: Tofu ala Bistek

Someone once asked me if we (the family) have considered going vegan and I told them that my family will eat anything I prepare (so they say) so it often depends on what I end up cooking.

Lately, I’ve been trying out different ways to cook tofu, as those of you who follow my blog can tell. 😀  My latest attempt is a dish I like to call Tofu ala Bistek.  Bistek is the Filipino word for Beef Steak.  The process is not quite the same but the end result is.

Tofu ala Bistek is best served with warm rice.  Enjoy!

Notes:

  1. Cutting up the tofu into strips was my choice because I wanted to make sure the marinade would really seep in and I wanted it to look like meat slices.
  2. Using pancake syrup adds that little bit of sweetness the dish needs but you could try using sugar or honey, I suppose.  Feel free to experiment!
  3. You can marinate the tofu for less than an hour, of course, but note that it will be more flavorful the longer you keep it in the marinade.
  4. I wouldn’t suggest marinating it overnight as the tofu might crumble or become too salty.  I cannot be sure of this, of course, as I have never done that myself. 😀

Tofu ala Bistek

A new take on a Filipino standard.
Prep Time1 hour
Cook Time15 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Chinese, Filipino
Keyword: filipino, tofu, vegan
Servings: 4
Calories: 142kcal
Author: Penny Angeles-Tan

Equipment

  • measuring spoon
  • measuring cup
  • cutting board
  • wide, shallow dish or tray
  • skillet or shallow pan

Ingredients

  • 500 grams firm tofu
  • 1/3 cup light soy
  • 1/3 cup rice vinegar
  • 4 tsp pancake syrup
  • 2 tsp sesame oil
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tbsp ginger, minced or grated
  • 1 onion, sliced into rings
  • oil for frying You want to use a neutral oil like vegetable oil

Instructions

Prepping

  • Place some paper towels on a cutting board and put the tofu on top of it and cover with another paper towel. If you have a cast-iron pan or any heavy pan, place the pan on top of the paper-covered tofu and just let it sit. The weight of the pan will press out the excess water while you work on the marinade.
  • In a bowl combine light soy, rice vinegar, syrup, sesame oil, garlic, and ginger. Mix and set aside.
  • Remove the heavy pan from on top of the tofu and remove the paper towels. You will notice that the towels are now wet from the water that was pressed out of the tofu.
  • Slice the tofu into thin slices (not too thin or it will just crumble!) and arrange them flat on a shallow dish or tray and pour the marinade on top. Cover and set aside for up to an hour. If you are like me and you tend to forget if the waiting time is long then cover the dish/tray and put it in the ref while it is marinating.

Time to cook

  • Place your skillet or shallow pan (a wok would also do nicely!) on the stove and heat it.
  • Place oil in the pan and once hot enough place the marinated tofu (only) flat and leave it alone to brown for a few minutes. Don't get tempted to move it around or the tofu might crumble. Allow it to brown and set. Do not throw away the marinade as you will need it later.
  • After a few minutes and the bottom is browned, gently flip each piece and brown that side, too. You can tell that the tofu is ready to flip when it starts to shrink a little and look puffy like a pillow.
  • When both sides are browned, take your sliced onion and scatter the rings on top. Pour the marinade over everything and cover for about a minute.
  • Your dish is now ready to be served and eaten. 🙂

Notes

If you try this recipe, please make sure to tag me on social media @slvrdlphn with the hashtag #slvrdlphnrecipes.  Let me know, too, if you come up with a tweak that would make this dish different but still delicious!

Recipe: Garlic Pepper Tofu

Recipe: Garlic Pepper Tofu

As I get older I find that I tend to lean more towards healthier dishes … in part for better health, but mostly because the price of meat has skyrocketed!  While I am wont to enjoy vegetable dishes sadly the rest of my family are not so inclined.  I don’t want to trick them with veggie meat (mom already tried it and didn’t like it) so the next best thing for my carnivorous family … tofu!

In the past, I’ve made tofu steak, stir-fried tofu with eggplant and mushroom, etc.  But often I find that if not for the tonkatsu sauce or oyster sauce to top off the dishes, the tofu would be bland.  This led me on a search for tasty tofu dishes.

How this dish evolved

Whenever I try new dishes at home I usually like to work with ingredients that I have on hand rather than wait until I could run to the grocery to get the additional ingredients I need.  This usually means that I go through a lot of recipes in recipe books I have here at home and online to find the one that suits my needs the best.

One such dish is this garlic pepper tofu.  One frustrating thing about tofu is how in most recipes, no matter how flavorful the sauce is, the tofu itself is always bland.  So I searched and searched and searched until I found this recipe for salt and pepper tofu on thewoksoflife.com which I then modified based on what ingredients I had on hand and made it more garlicky than salty.

What’s in my pantry

Obviously, I had most of the ingredients from the original recipe. I just cut out the chilies which add spice and color to the dish because, well, it was New Year’s Eve and I didn’t want to go to the grocery again.  Plus, I was already elbow-deep in cooking other dishes at the same time.

I just wanted to highlight a few ingredients …

Sesame oil is readily available in most groceries.  The one I used here is a Korean brand (I think) because that was the last one I bought at Robinson’s Easymart down the street.  Popular brands of sesame oil are Lee Kum Kee and Good Life.

Cooking wine might be a little more difficult to find but is readily available at Hi-Top Supermart.  In case you weren’t aware of it yet, the price of most grocery items is less expensive in Hi-Top than in any other grocery.  Cooking wine comes in red and white.  For tofu, I personally think white cooking wine is a better choice but if what you have is red, go ahead and try it.

Now, if you don’t have cooking wine but you do have regular wine, I say have at it!  😀  It just means that your food will have a stronger wine flavor.  As for rice wine vinegar, no, you cannot use that as a substitute for cooking wine.  It will make your food more acidic.

Weber Roasted Garlic & Herb Seasoning was something we purchased at a whim at S&R which we use for seasoning meat when we are in the mood to grill.  But who says that’s the only time we could use it, right?  Fair warning, though, this seasoning is a bit pricey at P350 per bottle.

Most of my spices are from McCormick as that is the most readily available brand here.  My dream is to one day have a spice rack filled with every spice imaginable.  😀  Other than McCormick, I also get some special seasonings from Badia and Weber which I get from Landers and S&R respectively.

What really caught my attention is how Bill (the author of the post on thewoksoflife) managed to infuse the tofu with flavor so that is what I did my best to imitate as well.  This dish turned out so well that I was not able to take a picture of it before the horde could attack it, lol!  I hope you enjoy this recipe!  Do let me know how it turns out when you try making it yourself.

Garlic Pepper Tofu

This dish is proof that vegetarian dishes can be exciting! And zesty!
Prep Time2 hours 5 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Chinese, Vegan
Keyword: tofu, vegan, vegetarian
Servings: 4
Calories: 239kcal
Author: Penny Angeles-Tan

Ingredients

Brining

  • 1 block firm tofu
  • 1/4 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp onion powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1 1/4 cup warm water
  • 1/2 tsp sesame oil
  • 1 tsp white cooking wine

Seasoning and dredging

  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp ground white pepper
  • 1/4 tsp cracked pepper
  • 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 2 to 3 tbsp corn starch

Cooking

  • oil
  • 5 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp ground white pepper
  • 1/4 tsp cracked pepper
  • 1 tsp Weber roasted garlic and herb seasoning or Badia garlic pepper seasoning this is, of course, optional, but personally, I like the extra zest and crunch. In lieu of that, you may replace it with more garlic and cracked pepper. 🙂

Instructions

To get some flavor in the tofu, the first step is to brine

  • Make sure to slice your firm tofu into bite-sized cubes, which is approximately half an inch.
  • Combine the garlic powder, onion powder, salt, sugar, and warm water in a shallow bowl and mix.
  • Place the sliced tofu in the same bowl and mix it gently so that each piece of tofu is coated in the brine, not just the bottom. Cover the bowl and let it sit for 1 to 2 hours.
  • After 1 to 2 hours place a strainer over a bowl and pour the tofu gently to drain and let it stand for 5 minutes
  • In another bowl, combine the sesame oil and cooking wine and mix. Pour the drained tofu in the mix and gently mix to coat.

We dredge to get that crispy outer coating

  • Combine the salt, white pepper, cracked pepper, flour, and cornstarch. Sprinkle over the tofu soaked in sesame oil and wine and use a spoon to turn the tofu so that all of them are coated. You can also give the bowl a gentle shake or two (or three) making sure not to crumble the tofu. The combination of ingredients will create a white paste that is meant to coat every single piece of tofu.
    If you think the batter is too wet or if you want your tofu to be crispier, go ahead and add a little more cornstarch.

It's time to get cookin'!

  • Mix the salt, white pepper, cracked pepper, and optional seasoning and set aside.
  • Place oil in your wok and heat up for around 30 seconds on low heat only. DON'T GET TEMPTED TO RAISE THE FLAME/TEMPERATURE! That comes later.
  • Put in the chopped garlic and move it around the pan to cook evenly. If the heat is low, it should not burn. Cook it until it is light golden brown. Voila! Crispy garlic!
  • Use either a slotted spoon or a fine mesh strainer to fish out the garlic and set it aside for now. Make sure to leave the oil in the pan! You're going to need them for the next steps.
  • Heat the oil to medium-high heat, you may add oil if you feel the need to. Place the tofu in the pan in a single layer, making sure each one is touching the oil. Once the bottom part is browned flip each piece to brown the other side.
  • When all the tofu is browned on all sides put the crispy garlic and remaining spices in the pan and toss everything for about 15 seconds. Scared to toss like the chefs? Not to worry, stirring with a spoon or spatula will do as well. 😀
  • And you're done! Serve your dish and watch the fam eat it with gusto!

Notes

It may seem at first as if preparing this dish takes too long, but trust me when I say that brining is an important step.  Brining is also very simple to do – combine the ingredients then forget it for 2 hours. 🙂

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