Braised Mushrooms and Tofu with Soy, Ginger, and Garlic

A warm and comforting Braised Mushrooms & Tofu in Soy Ginger & Garlic Sauce. I love a good braised dish especially in the cold months where you want something warm and grounding, that’s perfect with rice.

The ginger and garlic here create a very aromatic combination that pair well with the umami flavors of the mixed mushrooms. I used packaged fried tofu, that are almost like tofu puffs, which absorb the flavors from the sauce so well. 

WHAT TOFU SHOULD I USE FOR THIS BRAISED RECIPE?

You'll want to use an extra firm tofu that holds up well when cooked and mixed with the rest of the ingredients, and absorbs sauces well. I purchase packs of fried tofu from a local Asian supermarket. This saves so much time and these fried tofu pouches are like sponges that absorb sauces so well!

FRIED TOFU POUCHES

INGREDIENTS YOU'LL NEED

MUSHROOMS

• 17.5 oz fresh mushrooms of choice I used a mix of shiitake, king oyster, and seafood/shimeji mushrooms
• Neutral oil , I used avocado oil
• Pinch salt

FOR STIR-FRYING

• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 4 cloves garlic , lightly crushed and peeled
• 10 thin slices ginger , peeled
• 2 scallions , white and green parts separated
• 1 small carrot , peeled and thinly sliced at a bias/diagonal

FOR BRAISING

• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1-2 tbsp vegetarian oyster sauce
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp Chinese 5 spice powder
• 1/2 lb fried tofu (1 pack) see notes 
• 2 cups vegetable broth see notes

CORN STARCH SLURRY

• 1.5 tbsp corn starch
• 3 tbsp room temperature water

TO SERVE

• Scallions for garnish
• Steamed rice for serving
• Chili oil

TO MAKE THIS BRAISED MUSHROOM AND TOFU RECIPE

PREPARE THE MUSHROOMS

• Slice the mushrooms. For the king oyster mushrooms, I shaved the bottom ends of these since they can be tough and chewy. I sliced them lengthwise in half then sliced 1/2-inch (1.25 cm) half rounds.For the shiitake mushrooms I simply sliced these into 1/2-inch (1.25 cm) pieces and I trimmed the stems before split these into half. I simple cut the seafood mushrooms into 2” long pieces. You can watch the video or see the step-by-step photos for a better idea.

• Heat a large skillet or wok with oil over medium heat. Once hot, add the sliced mushrooms. Add a pinch of salt to the mushrooms.
• Leave the mushrooms untouched to release all the water/moisture. Once you get a nice browning, move the mushrooms around to cook the remaining sides.
• Once there are no signs of moisture and the mushrooms have a nice brown sear, move the mushrooms to the side of the wok/skillet.

STIR-FRY THE OTHER INGREDIENTS

• Add the sesame oil. Add the garlic and thinly sliced ginger. Stir-fry for 1-2 minutes until aromatic and the garlic has some browning.
• Add the scallions and carrot.
• Add the soy sauce, vegetarian oyster sauce, sugar, and Chinese 5 spice powder. Add the fried tofu then mix well.

• Add the vegetable broth. Cover the wok/skillet and allow the broth to come to a bowl. Once it boils, lower the heat. Leave this to cook at a gentle simmer for 4-5 minutes to allow the tofu to absorb the flavors of the sauce.
• Meanwhile, mix together the corn starch and room temperature water in a small bowl.

ADD SLURRY TO THICKEN THE SAUCE

• Remove the lid from the wok/skillet. Over low heat, pour the slurry and then carefully mix the sauce. It’ll start to thicken from the cornstarch. Taste the sauce and season this with more soy sauce/veg oyster sauce for extra flavor, or sugar for extra sweetness.

SERVE AND ENJOY

• Serve while hot with steamed rice and garnish with scallions. You can also finish this with some chili oil for extra heat.

MORE RECIPES YOU'LL LOVE

• Kung Pao Tofu
• Pineapple Cashew Tofu Stir-Fry
• Crispy Salt and Pepper Tofu
• Black Pepper Tofu Steaks
• Tofu "Chicken" Teriyaki
• Shredded Tofu Bulgogi
• Korean Spicy Braised Tofu
• Fried 'Chicken' and Gravy
• Pan-Fried Tofu Cakes

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