There was a Chinese restaurant in the city where everything in the menu was available at the take-out counter. One of my favorites was a dish called beef tokwa. The main ingredients were thin slices of sirloin and silken tofu. While I enjoyed it thoroughly, my kids did not enjoy eating tofu that had not be pre-fried. Which would be impossible with silken tofu.
When I decided to try to reproduce beef tokwa, I decided to use firm tofu instead and to pre-fry it to make the dish kid-friendlier. And, to economize, I used beef brisket.
Tougher cuts of beef are not only less expensive, they are also more flavorful. Cutting the meat properly–across the grain–is the key to make sure that they will cooked to tenderness within a short time.
Ingredients :
300 g. of beef brisket cut into 1/8″ slices
5 small or 1 big cake of firm tofu
1 tbsp. of finely minced garlic
2 onions, halved and sliced thinly
1 tbsp. of fermented black beans (tausi)
1 tbsp. of dark soy sauce
pepper
1 tbsp. of oyster sauce
1 tsp. of hoisin sauce
1 heaping tbsp. of chili bean sauce
1 tbsp. of cornstarch dispersed in 1/2 c. of water
1 tsp. of sesame seeds
cooking oil for deep frying
Cooking procedure :
Cut the beef slices into bite-size pieces, about 2″ x 2″ inches. Season with soy sauce and pepper.
Rinse the fermented black beans (tausi). Drain well. Cut the tofu into 2″ x 2″ cubes.
Heat a skillet or wok. Pour in the cooking oil. Heat to smoking point. Fry the tofu cubes in batches until golden brown. Drain on paper towels and set aside.
Pour off but 1 tbsp. of cooking oil from the skillet or wok. Add the beef pieces and fry over high heat until the edges start to brown. Add the garlic, onions and fermented black beans. Continue cooking over high heat until the onions are soft. Pour in 1-1/2 c. of water. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Turn up the heat to medium-high and add the fried tofu cubes. Cook, tossing occasionally, until almost dry. Mix together the oyster, hoisin and chili bean sauces with the cornstarch solution. Pour into the skillet or wok. Add the sesame seeds. Stir until the sauce is thick. Serve hot.
hi, i love tofus especially the tofu steak from teriyaki boy. i was wondering if i could buy from the market tofu like theirs? thanks
I tried your Beef and tofu with three sauces and served it at out fellowship. I tell you it was fantastic and the taste was really savory, even my breathen asked how did I cooked and gave them your recipes. Would you believe a friend who tasted it one year ago still remembers this recipe and requested that I cook again for her birthday tomorrow Aug 8. Thanks a lot for recipes I always refer to it whenever I prepare food for our gathering.
sarj, yes, silken tofu is available in most supermarkets.
Roy, that is very heart-warming. Thank you for the feedback. I really appreciate your taking the time to let me know.
Hi Connie- love your site!Here’s one fast/easy dish my family enjoys:
To pork ribs (cut 1 to 1 1/2 inches)
add a couple or more tbsp. Lee Kum Kee Black Bean and Garlic Sauce (comes in a jar) and enough water to tenderize meat.
When tender , just add extra-firm tofu sliced into cubes approx.size of pork, then cook a few minutes more. Don’t cook this too dry as the sauce is wonderful with rice.
i cooked this yesterday for lunch but instead of beef, i used pork kasim. i cant find a Japanese firm tofu so i just used an ordinary one. Just the same, it was very yummy and goes well with ice cold beer…..
thanks Connie!
hi pinoy cook! i’ll definitely try this one. by the way, love your new layout especially the search tool. keep cooking! : )
I love your website. I appreciate people like you who share great recipe! Keep it up, thanks for giving me good ideas on what to cook for my family, my family wants variations in menu always.
Miss connie pede ba dagdagan ng mushroom,carrots,snowpeas,bellpepper kasi para naman may color yun dish?
Of course!