Braised baby bok choy with sesame seared tofu

by Sarah J. Gim, Posted May 4th 2006 @ 2:30PM

spicy braised baby bok choy with sesame seared tofu

I love baby bok choy. Regular bok choy tastes great, but I think I am beginning to have this fascination with all things teeny tiny cute and miniature. Of course, baby bok choy tastes a little different - they're sweeter and more tender.

Cut baby bok choy lengthwise into quarters, rinse, and dry off. (You can rinse before you cut, but it's easier to get any sort of nasty stuff that's caught between the leaves if they're sliced open). In a saute pan with high sides, bring about ¼ c. water or vegetable broth to a boil (The bok choy will give off some water later, too). Add 2 Tbsp. Korean ggoh-choo-jahng (spicy red pepper paste), 2 Tbsp soy sauce, and about 4-5 cloves chopped garlic. Reduce to simmer, and add bok choy. Let braise until bok choy are tender.

To make sesame crusted seared tofu, slice a tofu block into 1/2-1" thick "steaks." Press between layers of paper towel to squeeze out as much moisture as you can without crushing the tofu. You can even press the tofu overnight in the refrigerator. Press the sides of each tofu "steak" into sesame seeds, then lightly sear the flat sides in a small amount of oil over medium-high heat. Each side will take about 1 minute. Some of the seeds will fall off, but that's expected, and be careful when you place the tofu in the plan, since the water in the tofu will "spit."

Serve the tofu atop scallion fried rice (or plain steamed white rice) and surround with baby bok choy. I also like to pour the braising liquid (which is spicy and salty) over the whole thing.

Filed Under: Vegetarian, Ingredients, How To, Methods
Tags: america, asia, asian food, AsianFood, baby bok choy, bok choy, braising, dinner, frying, grains, korea, korean food, lunch, steaming, vegetables, west coast