Filipino Tofu Adobo

This is a vegan version of classic Filipino dish which is normally cook with chicken or pork. When pork is used, its fat gives nice flavor and stickiness to the sauce but since here we are going to use tofu, we will use more oil to give that greasy finish. Tofu just like eggplant, absorb all the flavor from the sauce and become perfect to finish it with rice. This adobo usually cook with peppercorns, bay leaves and lots of onion and garlic in savory and sour sauce with little sweet from the sugar.  There are lot of ways to cook adobo also, Mine is simple but you can add potatoes and carrots too if you want. Only thing is that will increase your cooking time. Adobo has soy sauce and vinegar  , two essential elements for this dish. I have used fresh tofu in this one but frozen tofu will give you nice meaty texture. 

Ingredients :

1/2 block of firm tofu cut in squares

4 tbsp. oil

7 cloves of  garlic finely chopped

1 medium size onion cut in match sticks

1 tbsp. whole black peppers

3-4 dried bay leaves

2-3 tbsp. soy sauce

1/2 cup vegetable broth

2-3 tbsp. white vinegar

1 tsp. dark soy sauce

1/2 tbsp. sugar

White rice to serve

Method :

Pressed the tofu and take out the extra liquid. Cut the tofu in square pieces or your desired shaped.

Heat non stick pan and add a generous amount of oil. Deep fry  or pan fry tofu in oil until is crispy from all sides and golden brown.

Take out the tofu and in the same leftover oil , add garlic, onions and whole black peppers. Cook till onions are little tender.

Add the bay leaves, soy sauce, vinegar and vegetable broth. Mix it and simmer till its boil.

Add now sugar and dark soy sauce , taste and adjust the seasoning. I tasted it this point and feel like drinking it as it is. 

Add the tofu in it and let it cook for 10 minutes in sauce, If your broth is less , add more. 

The longer tofu soak up the sauce, it will be the tastier .

Serve it with white rice. 

Enjoy

Spicy Chili Oil Dumpling Soup

Is it soup season yet? For me yes , sure it is. I can have hot bowl of soup in cold winter days for lunch or dinner. This soup is made by my most favorite ingredients, dumplings and hot chili oil. For this recipe I used ready made dumplings to save the time and I wanted to try this specific packaged one. But if you already made it and froze it then you can use that too or you can make fresh one too. The whole thing with the readymade dumplings came together in less than 15 minutes and who don't like quick diner on week nights?

Ingredients : 

6-8 dumplings - you can have more or less , its your choice

1 tbsp. chili flakes - adjust as per your spice level

2 tbsp. finely chopped garlic

4 tbsp. oil

2 tbsp. soy sauce

1/2 tbsp. dark soy sauce

1 tbsp. Vinegar

pinch of sugar

1 tbsp. sesame seeds

1 green scallion finely chopped

some mung bean sprouts 

4 cups of vegetable stock /broth

Method:

In a soup pan add broth, When its bubbly, add your dumpling and cook for 5-7  minutes. 

Meanwhile in a heat proof bowl, add your chopped garlic  , chili flakes, both soy sauce, sugar, sesame seeds, vinegar and mix it and adjust the seasoning.

Add half of the scallion and reserve half for the later.

When dumplings are near to be done, in small pan , add oil and making it hot till it smoke slightly . 

Now add oil in to the bowl mix of garlic and seasoning and mix it with spoon. 

Then add broth and dumplings into the bowl and mix it .

Before serving add rest of the scallion and mung bean sprouts and enjoy it before it cools down.