Tofu Char Siu by WoonHeng Chia - Recipe Print View

Step 1

Combine the water, soy sauce, oyster sauce, hoisin sauce, maple syrup, sesame oil, ground pepper, dark soy sauce (if using), and pepper in a bowl and whisk to combine. Pat the tofu dry. Cut it lengthwise into 3 slabs, then season with salt. Rub all over with the cornstarch, patting to adhere if needed (you might have a bit of excess). Heat a nonstick 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of oil, then tilt the skillet so the oil coats the bottom. Pan-fry the tofu until golden brown on all sides, 3 to 5 minutes per side, lowering the heat if needed along the way; don’t flip the tofu until a crust has formed. Add the sauce and simmer, basting and turning the tofu, until the sauce reduces to a nice, glossy glaze, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove the tofu from the pan and let cool. While the tofu is cooling, make the sweet sauce (if you’re including it) by mixing all the ingredients in a bowl. Or you can cook the sauce in the pan with the remaining oil for about 1 minute over low heat. Slice the tofu, then spoon the sweet sauce on top. Serve with rice, if you’d like.