New York Times recipe: Silken tofu with spicy soy dressing

This recipe is inspired by the many cold silken tofu dishes from East Asia, like Japanese hiyayakko and Chinese liangban tofu. This no-cook dish is a handy one to have up your sleeve, especially for warm evenings when the desire to cook is non-existent. Silky soft tofu is draped in a punchy soy dressing, creating a lively dish with little effort. The tofu is ideally served cold, but 10 minutes at room temperature can take the edge off. Make it your own with other fresh herbs such as Thai basil or mint leaves, or add crunch with fried shallots or roasted peanuts. A salty, fermented element like kimchi, pickled radish or ja choi, also known as zha cai, a Sichuan pickled mustard root, would work well, too. One block of silken tofu is usually enough to feed two people, but for a more substantial meal, serve it with hot rice or noodles to create a pleasing contrast of temperatures.

Ingredients:

For the spicy soy dressing:

¼ cup soy sauce

1 tbsp rice vinegar

1 tbsp sesame oil

1 tbsp chilli oil

1 tbsp toasted white sesame seeds

2 tsp granulated sugar

1 spring onion, green and white parts, finely sliced

For the tofu:

2 (400g) blocks silken tofu, cold

1 spring onion, green and white parts, thinly sliced

handful coriander leaves

Preparation:

Step 1 Make the dressing: Combine the soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, chilli oil, sesame seeds, sugar and spring onion in a small bowl. Whisk until the sugar has dissolved.

Step 2 Carefully drain the liquid from the package of tofu, and gently tip the block on to a tea towel. (Try to keep the block in one piece, if possible, but don’t worry if it falls apart; it will still taste great.) Pat with another clean tea towel, removing as much liquid as possible. Transfer the blocks to one large plate or two smaller plates, and spoon the soy dressing over the top until the tofu is completely covered. Top with spring onions and coriander leaves, and eat on its own or with rice or noodles on the side.

Serves 4

Total time: 5 minutes

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.

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