Korean-Style Spicy Braised Tofu (Dubu Jorim)

Recipe from The Wok. We topped with carrots and scallion greens.

Ingredients

For the Sauce:

• 3 tablespoons (45 ml) light soy sauce or shoyu
• ¼ cup (60 ml) water
• 2 teaspoons (8 g) sugar
• 2 teaspoons (5 g) minced garlic (about 2 medium cloves)
• 2 teaspoons (10 ml) roasted sesame oil
• 1 scallion, thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon (8 g) gochugaru (Korean chile flakes), more or less as desired
• Big pinch of toasted sesame seeds

For the Tofu:

• One 12-ounce (340 g) block firm tofu, cut into ½-inch slabs
• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) peanut, rice bran, or other neutral oil

Instructions

1. For the Sauce: Combine all the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and stir with a fork until the sugar dissolves.
2. For the Tofu: Place the tofu slices in a colander or fine-mesh strainer set in your sink, laying them out in as close to a single layer as possible. Bring a pot or kettle full of water to a boil. Pour the boiling water over the tofu slices, then let the tofu slices cool and air-dry for a few minutes. They should feel slightly tacky and dry to the touch, like a cat’s tongue.
3. For the Stir-Fry: Heat a wok over high heat until lightly smoking. Reduce the heat to medium, add the oil, and swirl to coat. Add the tofu one piece at a time in a single layer (the tofu should come up the sides of the wok a little) and cook, occasionally swirling the pan gently, until crisp on the first side, about 5 minutes. (If the tofu sticks at all, let it cook undisturbed for a couple of minutes before gently prising it off the wok with a thin metal spatula and swirling the wok to ensure nothing is sticking). Slide the tofu out of the wok onto a large plate and return the wok to medium heat.
4. Flip the tofu pieces (they may be stuck together on the edges and have to be gently prised apart), then return them to the wok and cook the second side, swirling the pan gently, until crisp on the second side, about 5 minutes longer. Slide the tofu back out onto a plate and set aside.
5. Reduce the heat to medium-low, add the sauce to the wok, and cook, turning the tofu occasionally, until the sauce is reduced to a syrupy glaze that coats each piece, about 2 minutes. Serve immediately.