Teriyaki tofu with aubergine
Teriyaki comes from Japan. It is a way of grilling or pan-frying food so that a sauce made with soy sauce and mirin leaves it with a glossy coating. Teriyaki tofu with aubergine is something I like to make when I fancy a meat-free dinner that feels like a proper meal and fills me up. I make the sauce myself so I can decide how sweet it is. I do not want it too sweet; I like to be able to taste the soy sauce as well. I enjoy the contrast between the crisp tofu and the soft aubergine. With rice, it makes a complete meal, but you can of course serve it with noodles instead. Choose whichever you like best.
Servings Servings
Ingredients
- 400 g tofu (firm, cut into cubes)
- 2 aubergines (medium, sliced)
- 200 g basmati rice (or jasmine rice)
- 2 tbsp cornflour
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 spring onion (sliced into rings)
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds (optional, for garnish)
Teriyaki sauce
- 4 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp mirin (Japanese rice wine)
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 cm ginger root (grated)
- 1 clove garlic (finely chopped)
Instructions
Preparation
- Cook 200 g basmati rice according to the instructions on the package and keep warm.
- Cut 400 g tofu into cubes and 2 aubergines into slices. Grate 1 cm ginger root and finely chop 1 clove garlic. Slice 1 spring onion into rings.
- Pat the tofu dry with kitchen paper and lightly sprinkle with 2 tbsp cornflour. This ensures a crispy texture when frying.
Cooking
- For the teriyaki sauce, mix 4 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tbsp mirin, 2 tbsp rice vinegar, 1 tbsp sugar, the grated ginger root and chopped garlic in a small bowl. Stir until the sugar is dissolved.
- Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a large pan over medium heat. Fry the tofu cubes in it until they are golden brown and crispy (about 5-7 minutes). Remove the tofu from the pan and set aside.
- Fry the aubergine slices in the same oil, adding more oil if needed until they are soft and lightly browned, about 5-6 minutes. Return the fried tofu to the pan with the aubergine and pour in the homemade teriyaki sauce. Stir everything well and let simmer for another 2-3 minutes so the sauce thickens and the tofu and aubergine absorb the flavours properly.
To serve
- Divide the rice over the plates and spoon the teriyaki tofu and aubergine on top. Garnish with spring onion and optionally 1 tbsp sesame seeds.
Notes
For extra crispy tofu, you can place the cubes between two plates with something heavy on top for 30 minutes before preparation. This presses out the excess water, allowing the tofu to absorb the sauce better and become crispier.
Nutrition
Calories: 336kcalCarbohydrates: 57gProtein: 15gFat: 6gSaturated fat: 1gSugars: 9g
Tried this recipe?Let me know what you think!
Japanese, neither meat nor fish
my choice
this week
Japanese in flavour but without meat or fish: this teriyaki tofu with aubergine shows you won't miss either. The tofu turns crisp, the aubergine soft, and the sweet and savoury sauce with ginger and garlic does the rest. Add rice and spring onion and you've got a satisfying meal.
