Tofu with Black Bean Sauce or “see tzup dou fu” (豉汁豆腐) in Cantonese dialect, is one of the go-to dishes I cook for my vegetarian and vegan guests—or for the occasional meatless Monday. I wholeheartedly believe that if all vegan dishes could taste as savory and delicious as this tofu with black bean sauce, I could probably go meatless. Shocking, yes, but it’s true!
Nostalgia for Fresh Tofu
The key to any delicious tofu dish is “good tofu.” But despite what Ina Garten says—“good dijon mustard,” “good sherry vinegar,” and “good chocolate”—what marks a really *good* tofu?
I’ve probably consumed hundreds of pounds of tofu products in my time (if not more), but sadly, I can count on *one hand* the number of times I’ve had truly exceptional-tasting tofu.
Those few unforgettable tofu experiences all had one thing in common: the tofu was freshly made and packed with the essence of soybean flavor! These days, while we’re all familiar with tofu and a wide assortment of tofu products are available in supermarkets, it can be hard to find truly delicious, fresh-tasting tofu in the USA.
My first memory was in Hubei when I was a child. I was with my mother in a tofu shop, and it was the first time I can remember watching the tofu-making process. The image of the vat of boiling soy milk, the curdling of the milk in pitchers, and the pressing of the tofu in the wooden moulds are as clear as day to me even now.
The sight of the tofu master’s fluid movements and the robust cooked soybean smell still fills my senses when I think about it.
These kinds of businesses are still alive and well in China today, where hard-working people crank out a variety of tofu products (tofu puffs, silken tofu, tofu skin–the list goes on) for their local communities.
I clearly remember one day my mother bought a chunk of hot tofu and some thick tofu sheets (also known as “thousand sheets,” 千张). She later stir-fried the tofu sheets with some fresh green chilies. Delicious. (Update: we’ve posted a recipe for this tofu sheet stir-fry!)
Another one of my few great tofu memories was in Hong Kong. My friend took me to a hole-in-the-wall shack for a quick lunch, and we had a hot and sour soup.
I couldn’t remember the taste of the soup, but I’ll never forget the taste of the tofu that was in it. Every time I return to Hong Kong to visit my friend, this topic inevitably comes up. Unfortunately for me, my friend simply can’t remember the location of that tiny restaurant! It’s a distant tofu dream…
So in case I didn’t make it clear already, I love fresh tofu, and quality tofu is very important to me. Fresh tofu just has that unmistakable, strong, and fresh soybean essence. It absolutely boggles my mind when I see tofu recipes that say to blanch the tofu to get rid of the “tofu smell” before cooking it.
Trust me, I will never ask you to do something so crazy! Everyone should have the chance to taste fresh tofu. And if you’re curious as to just how fresh is fresh-tasting, you’ll know it when you bite into it!
Tofu with Black Bean Sauce: Recipe Instructions
Cut the firm tofu into ¼-inch thick squares. Pat each piece of tofu dry with a paper towel, and set aside.
Place a clean wok or cast iron skillet over high heat until it just starts to smoke. This is an important step to prevent the tofu from sticking.
Turn the heat down to medium, and add 2 tablespoons of oil to coat your pan. Pan-fry the tofu on both sides until lightly golden brown. Turn off the heat, and transfer the tofu to a plate.
Over medium heat, and add 1 tablespoon of oil to your wok, along with the garlic, dried fermented black beans, the white parts of the scallions, and the dried red chilies.
Depending on how hot your chilies are, as well as your own tolerance for spice, you may want to use more or fewer chilies––or none at all. I used 7 dried chilies, de-seeded.
Stir and cook everything for a minute, taking care not to burn the garlic. Add in the tofu, the Shaoxing wine, light soy sauce, sesame oil, ground white pepper, sugar, and the green parts of the scallions.
Stir-fry gently so as to not break up the tofu. When the mixture is bubbling, stir your cornstarch mixture to ensure that the cornstarch is completely dissolved.
Then add it to the wok, stirring gently and quickly until the sauce has thickened and evenly coats the tofu.
Serve this tofu with black bean sauce immediately with rice on the side!
This tofu with black bean Sauce is an ideal vegetarian or vegan meal!
