Tofu with soy sauce, sesame oil & black sesame seeds

For a simple meal, sometimes I just boil or pan-fry the tofu then serve with fish sauce or soy sauce. It is simple but I always have to admit that fish sauce and soy sauce are the best friends of tofu. A simple dish like that can satisfy me as a palatable meal. 

However, today I made some changes to the normally served tofu. Firstly, I marinated the firm tofu (cotton tofu) with a mixture of soy sauce and sesame oil for a while. After that I sauteed the tofu on a pan. To serve, the black sesame seeds, spring onions and fresh cilantro would be sprinkle and toss with the hot tofu, creating an inviting smell.

So now, the tofu looked really different on the serving plate. The taste was more concentrated and richer with the combination of several savors. Yet, it stays very simple and quick to cook tofu in this way.

Ingredients (serves 3-4)

- 400g firm tofu (cotton tofu), cut into bite-size blocks

- 2 tbs soy sauce

- 1 tsp sesame oil

- 1 tbs vegetable oil

- 3 stalks spring onions, separate white and green parts, chopped

- 1 tsp toasted black sesame seeds

- Cilantro, chopped

Cooking:

- Pat the tofu blocks dry with kitchen paper.

- Mix the soy sauce and sesame oil in a large bowl. Gently toss in the tofu to coat thorougly and let stand for about 10-15 minutes to marinate.

- Heat the vegetable oil in a sauteing pan over medium heat, stir in the white part of the spring onion for about 15 seconds, then add the marinated tofu. Gently stir the tofu or flip the pan if you can (I can’t do so!). Until the liquid has almost evaporated and the tofu becomes dry and firmer, remove from the heat.

- Sprinkle with chopped green onion, cilantro and black sesame seeds, gently toss well.

- Serve with steamed rice.