Silken Tofu With Black Bean Garlic Sauce
In the midst of developing more than 85 recipes for his debut cookbook, Salt Sugar MSG, chef Calvin Eng of Bonnie’s in Brooklyn reached a tipping point. He grew sick and tired of his own cooking, unable to muster the energy or interest to make yet another dinner. The saving grace? His homemade black bean garlic sauce. Made from fermented black soy beans and a handful of other pantry ingredients, it keeps nicely in the fridge for a few weeks, ready to pull out at a moment's notice and spoon over “silky, savory egg custard, or steamed fish, tossed with clams in a hot pan, or simply stir fried with vegetables.” Or used in this version favored by Eng’s toddler—stir-fried with ground beef and poured over silken tofu. —Shilpa Uskokovic, senior test kitchen editor
Read More: The Dish That Got My Toddler to Eat More Than Chicken Nuggets
Recipe information
Total Time
45 minutes
Yield
4 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Heat ¼ cup vegetable oil in medium saucepan over medium. Add 4 scallions, thinly sliced, 10 garlic cloves, finely chopped, and one 2"-piece ginger, peeled, finely chopped, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes.
Step 2
Add ¼ cup drained fermented soy beans, coarsely chopped, and 2 Tbsp. sugar to pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until sugar is dissolved. Add 2 Tbsp. Shaoxing wine (Chinese rice wine) and cook until reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Add 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth and ½ cup dark soy sauce and bring to a boil.
Step 3
Stir 2 Tbsp. cornstarch and 2 Tbsp. cool water in a small bowl until cornstarch is dissolved. Add to boiling soy bean mixture and cook until sauce lightly coats a spoon, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in 2 tsp. toasted sesame oil. Transfer ⅓ cup black bean garlic sauce to a small bowl, then transfer remaining sauce to a heatproof airtight container and let cool.
Step 4
Pour water into a large saucepan to come 1" up sides; bring to a boil. Turn out one 16-oz. package silken tofu into a shallow heatproof bowl small enough to fit inside a bamboo steamer and slice ½" thick. Set bowl inside steamer. Cover; set over pan. Steam tofu until warmed through, 6–8 minutes. (Alternatively, invert into a microwave-safe bowl and microwave on high about 3 minutes.)
Step 5
Meanwhile, heat remaining 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil in a medium skillet over medium. Cook 4 oz. ground beef, stirring often, until browned and cooked through, about 5 minutes. Add 1 Tbsp. hoisin sauce and ⅓ cup reserved black bean garlic sauce and bring to a boil, stirring constantly, about 30 seconds; remove sauce from heat.
Step 6
Scoop out excess liquid from bowl with tofu. Spoon sauce over tofu and top with thinly sliced scallions and cilantro leaves with tender stems. Serve with steamed white rice.
Do Ahead: Black bean garlic sauce (without beef and hoisin sauce) can be made 2 weeks ahead. Cover and chill.
Recipe notes
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