Braised Soy Sauce Eggs and Tofu

There is not much story behind the whys and whats of this Braised Soy-Sauce Eggs and Tofu vegetarian dish. Call it a sudden urge.

Whenever we hear of braised duck or braised pork (usually pork trotters), it sounds like a whole day of work that seems intimidating to some (including me). Today, however, this recipe is kept basic and simple with eggs and tofu.


I've also included tips and tricks on how to breeze through this recipe.

Tip #1: When making braised tofu, most recipes call for first, deep-frying or pan-frying the tofu to get it golden brown; however this recipe lean towards being fuss-free, so oven-roasted tofu it shall be (use this Roasted Tofu recipe without using the marinade). Roasting imparts a "toasty" smoky flavor and aroma to tofu, similar to how frying does to the tofu.

In addition, when fried or roasted , the tofu gets more chewy and firm. I am not so definite about frying but roasting also dries out the tofu and it helps the tofu to absorb more of the braising liquid making tofu more flavorful.

Tip #2: In order to quickly flavor up the tofu, another tip is to pierce a few holes (using a fork) into the roasted tofu squares before immersing them into the braising liquid.


Braised Eggs and Tofu
Ingredients:
6 organic hard-boiled eggs, peeled (vegan without the eggs)
1 block 14oz extra-firm tofu, cut into 8-10 square blocks and have them roasted  (refer Roasted Tofu recipe but omit the marinade)

[Braising Liquid]: 2 cinnamon, 2 star anise, 3 cloves, 4-5 bay leaves, 3 cups water (or 1.5 cups water + 1.5 cups of mushroom stock), 1tsp dark soy sauce, 2 tbsp light soy sauce, pinch of five-spice powder, 1tsp brown sugar, pinch of salt

Directions: Prepare the braising liquid. Add all the ingredients (except the five-spice powder, sugar, and salt). Allow mixture to come to a boil and allow it to simmer low-medium heat for about 8-10 minutes. Add the five-spice powder, sugar, salt and simmer for about 5 more minutes. Add the prepared eggs and tofu into the mixture and simmer for about 10-15 minutes. Turn off the heat, and allow the eggs and tofu to continue to "marinate" in the pot. If your braising liquid did not totally submerge the eggs and tofu, make sure to turn the eggs and tofu once in a while to evenly coat the ingredients with braising liquid.


Tip #3: Sometimes, splitting the tasks are easier for people who do not have a huge chunk of time to spare in one single day. The good about this dish is the option to prepare the hard-boiled eggs and roasted tofu one day in advance. Then make a braise the next day (second day), and add the eggs and tofu to the braising liquid the second day.

Another advantage about this dish is that it stores and keeps relatively well, meaning you can make a batch and the subsequent batches will be even more flavorful with the braise slowly and gradually seeping into the eggs and tofu. However, freshness is still important as far as I am concerned, so three days storage in the fridge is maximum.