Tofu with Teriyaki sauce and stir-fried vegetables
Cooking Time
Prep Time
Difficulty
Cuisine
Japanese cuisine is renowned for its balanced dishes, subtle flavors, and artistic presentation. One of the most popular recipes that capture the essence of this cuisine is undoubtedly tofu with teriyaki sauce. This dish combines the tender texture of firm tofu with the rich aroma of teriyaki sauce, all enhanced by various vegetables for a complete and nutritious meal. Inspired by traditional Japanese cooking, this dish pays tribute to the flavors of the archipelago while being easy to make at home.
The teriyaki sauce, often considered the soul of this dish, is a sweet-salty concoction that originated in Japan. Mainly composed of soy sauce, mirin, and sake, it gains additional complexity through the optional addition of garlic and ginger. This versatile sauce can be used in a multitude of recipes, but it finds particular resonance with tofu, transforming it into an irresistible delicacy.
To make this dish even more special and true to its roots, we have included shiitake mushrooms. These mushrooms are highly prized in Japanese cuisine for their umami flavor and meaty texture. Coupled with other easily accessible vegetables such as carrots, onions, and peppers, the shiitakes add an extra dimension to this recipe.
A practical note: in this recipe, the tofu needs to marinate for 30 minutes. If you’d like to optimize this time, we suggest making a wakame soup to accompany your meal. The recipe can be found on this page.
In short, this recipe is an invitation to explore the richness of Japanese cuisine while offering the possibility to customize according to your tastes and the ingredients at your disposal. It’s an excellent way to get acquainted with the flavors of Japan or revisit them if you’re already a fan.
Tofu with Teriyaki Sauce and Stir-Fried Vegetables
Ingredients
Ingredients for Teriyaki Sauce:
- 100 ml soy sauce
- 50 ml mirin or sweet white wine as a substitute
- 50 ml sake or dry white wine as a substitute
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar or maple syrup
- 1 minced garlic clove (optional)
- 1 piece of ginger about 2 cm grated (optional)
Ingredients for Tofu and Vegetables:
- 400 g firm tofu
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil or vegetable oil of your choice
- 200 g shiitake mushrooms stemmed and sliced
- 2 carrots julienned or thinly sliced
- 1 red or white onion sliced
- 1 bell pepper red, green, or yellow, sliced
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds (optional)
- 1 green onion sliced (for garnish, optional)
Instructions
For the Teriyaki Sauce:
- Mix the ingredients: in a small saucepan, mix the soy sauce, mirin, sake, and brown sugar or maple syrup. If using garlic and ginger, add them as well.
- Cooking: bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, then reduce to simmer.
- Reduction: allow the sauce to simmer for about 10-15 minutes, or until it slightly reduces and becomes a bit syrupy.
- Straining: if you added garlic and ginger, you may strain the sauce through a fine sieve to remove the pieces. But this is optional.
- Reserve: let the sauce cool before using.
For the Tofu and Vegetables:
- Prepare the tofu: drain and press the tofu to remove excess water. Cut it into approximately 2 cm cubes.
- Marinating: place the tofu cubes in a bowl and pour half of the homemade teriyaki sauce over them. Mix well to coat the tofu. Allow it to marinate for at least 30 minutes.
- Note: while the tofu is marinating, you have about 30 minutes of free time. This is the ideal moment to prepare a wakame soup to accompany your dish. The link to the recipe can be found in the text above.
- Prepare the vegetables: in the meantime, wash and cut the shiitake mushrooms, carrots, onion, and bell pepper.
- Cook the vegetables: in a large skillet or wok, heat a tablespoon of sesame oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrots, bell peppers, and shiitake mushrooms. Sauté until they are tender but still crunchy. Reserve the vegetables in a bowl.
- Cook the tofu: in the same pan, add the remaining tablespoon of sesame oil. Add the tofu cubes and brown them on all sides.
- Assemble: once the tofu is browned, return the vegetables to the pan. Pour the remaining homemade teriyaki sauce and mix well to coat all ingredients.
- Finish: sprinkle with sesame seeds and sliced green onion if you wish.
- Serve: serve hot with rice or noodles.
A recipe proposed by Maison Marmite
