Black Pepper Tofu

It's dishes like this one that inspired the name of this blog - dishes that are savory, sweet and spicy all at once. That is a triumvirate of flavors that is more satisfying than any other. Here tofu goes from "blah" to "wow" with a smattering of savory soy sauce, sweet soy sauce and chili pepper. And then there is a punishing amount of freshly ground black pepper. This dish is not for the faint of heart - but I know you are strong and can handle this one.  This is one of the best tofu dishes I have ever tasted, an indulgence that I balanced with healthy miso soup and steamed rice.

Black Pepper Tofu

12 oz tofu

vegetable oil

5 T butter

6 oz shallots, thinly sliced

4 fresh chili peppers, thinly sliced

6 cloves of garlic, crushed

1 T + 1/2 T chopped fresh ginger

1 T + 1/2 T sweet soy sauce

1 T + 1/2 T light soy sauce

2 t dark soy sauce {I couldn't find this so I used low sodium soy sauce}

1 T sugar

2 T + 1/2 T freshly ground black pepper

8 small scallions, cut into 11/4" pieces

Pour just enough oil in a skillet or wok to coat the bottom of the pan. Drain the tofu by wrapping it in paper towels and applying pressure to release excess liquid. Cut the tofu into 1" cubes and toss in cornstarch in batches, shaking off the excess. Heat the oil to medium high and add the tofu in batches, turning each cube so each side has a golden crust. As the batches are done, transfer cooked tofu to fresh paper towels.

Rid the pan of oil and any sediment and heat over medium.  Add the butter and allow it to melt.  Add the shallots, chilies, garlic and ginger. Saute for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally until ingredients are soft. Add the soy sauces and sugar and stir;  then add the ground black pepper.

Add the tofu to the sauce to warm it up, for about 1 minute. Stir in the scallions and serve.

Source:  Adapted from Plenty, Yotam Ottolenghi