Vietnamese Braised Tofu & Mushrooms
Caramelized tofu and mushrooms simmered in an umami-packed black pepper sauce. A classic Vietnamese dish that is delicious served over white rice!
Ingredients
Stew
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp water
- 1 shallot minced
- 2 tbsp chopped green onions
- 1/3 cup water
- 2 tbsp vegan fish sauce or soy sauce
- 1 tbsp sweet chili sauce or 1/2 tbsp sriracha
- 1 tsp soy sauce Use Maggi soy sauce for a more authentic flavor
- 1/8 tsp ground black pepper more to taste
- 1/2 cup quartered mushrooms I used cremini mushrooms
Instructions
Tofu
- Dice the tofu. Start by dicing the tofu into 1-inch cubes or rectangles. Slightly pat the tofu dry using kitchen paper towels. Note: there is no need to press it for this recipe.
- Once that is done, it’s time to fry it. I am sharing a few options, pick the one that you prefer:- Air-fry: Preheat your air fryer to 355°F (180°C). Next, place the diced tofu inside the basket and generously brush it with vegetable oil on all sides. Air fry for about 14 minutes, flipping it once halfway through cooking.- Oven: Preheat your oven to 355°F (180°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and arrange the diced tofu on it. Generously brush it with vegetables on all sides. Bake for 12-14 minutes or until golden brown on all sides. Flip it once halfway through baking.- Store-bought: Short on time? You can use tofu puffs! Whenever I am too lazy to air-fry the tofu, I simply use a package of tofu puffs I get from my local Asian store. These are the best at absorbing the sauce, as they have a very spongy texture. I generally use 10-12 cubes for one batch of this recipe.
Stew
- Heat the sugar. Heat the sugar with one tablespoon of water in a clay pot or saucepan over medium heat. After 3-5 minutes, the sugar will start to bubble. This is normal, keep cooking.
- Make a caramel. After a few more minutes, the sugar will start to crystallize. It will harden and clump. Keep cooking for another 3-5 minutes, or until the crystallized sugar melts and turns golden brown.
- Add the shallot and green onions. As soon as the sugar has turned golden brown, add the minced shallots and chopped green onions. It will stop the caramel from getting darker. Sauté the shallots in the caramel for 20-30 seconds, stirring regularly.
- Deglaze the pan. Deglaze the pan with the 1/3 cup of water and add the vegan fish sauce (or soy sauce), sweet chili sauce, soy sauce, and ground black pepper. At first, the caramel might harden but will later melt in the sauce.
- Add the tofu and mushrooms. Then, add the fried tofu and quartered mushrooms to the pot.
- Simmer. Finally, cover the clay pot with its lid and let simmer over medium heat for about 10 minutes, stirring once halfway through cooking.
- Serve. Allow the stew to cool down for a few minutes before serving it with white rice, quinoa, or your favorite grain!
- This stew can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Video
Notes
- Have everything prepared before starting. I highly recommend measuring the sauce ingredients and chopping the shallots and green onions before starting. Once the caramel has turned golden brown, you must absolutely stop it from browning more by adding the aromatics so make sure you have those ready (do not chop them at the last minute!).
- Clay pot vs. saucepan. While I used a clay pot here, you can definitely prepare this recipe in a small cast iron pot or a saucepan. The advantage of the clay pot is that it is naturally non-stick and keeps the food warm for a longer time. I may be biased, but I tend to think that it also makes the food taste better.
- Do not omit the frying step. Using regular tofu will not work in this recipe as it would not absorb the flavors of the sauce. If you want to save time and omit the frying step, use tofu puffs, which are often sold at Asian supermarkets.
- Cook your grain when the stew is simmering. To have everything ready at the same time, start cooking the rice (or your favorite grain) while the stew is simmering.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 serving | Calories: 312 kcal | Carbohydrates: 25.6 g | Protein: 17.2 g | Fat: 18.2 g | Fiber: 3.8 g | Sugar: 12.6 g