This dish is just tofu with soy sauce. We could just call it that, but my wife thought that Soy Sauce Tofu was a snazzier title. So, we’re going with that. When using tofu, it is a good idea to press the tofu before cooking. Pressing tofu removes excess water leading to a firmer texture and better Absorbtion of flavors. This is especially good for stir-fried dishes, like the one we’re preparing today. My experience has been that, if you don’t press the excess liquid out of the tofu, when cooking, it will crumble. With this dish you don’t want that. You want crisp and firm cubes with a dryer texture. Pressing is an easy enough process: Just remove the tofu from its package and drain liquid. Next, wash the tofu and place in a double layer of paper towels. Then put wrapped tofu on a plate atop a cutting board with a heavy weight on top, such as a cast-iron skillet or heavy books, or stack of cans. Allow tofu to press for at least 30 minutes or preferably up to an hour or more. Note that the longer you press the tofu, the more water you’ll remove, which is what you want. Finally, remove the weight and cook per recipe instructions. For this process I like to use extra-firm tofu. This variety is denser and holds its shape better during pressing.
This time around we served this dish with spaghetti. But any other ringed or tubular pasta will do, as well as any good grain like rice, couscous or quinoa. As stated many times before, with regard to Nuyorican cooking (or any good cuisine), the possibilities are endless.
SOY SAUCE TOFU
Ingredients:
2 (14-oz) block extra tofu
1/2 cup flour
3 tablespoons olive oil
Ground black pepper to taste
¼ teaspoon oregano
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup back olives, sliced in half
Instructions:
- Press tofu as instructed above and then cut into 1-inch cubes.
- Dredge tofu in flour seasoned with pepper, oregano and garlic.
- Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet, frypan or wok
- Add tofu and stir-fry until golden, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in soy sauce and olives and cook 3 minutes.
- Add wine and cook 2 minutes more.
Yield: 4-6 servings.