Mirin And Red Pepper Tofu Scramble

I stink at food aesthetics, and even if I didn't, this recipe may not be much to look at. But I assure you, it is exactly what you need in your weeknight dinner rotation. My brother recently made a variation of this recipe for me, and I've been making it weekly ever since. This recipe is accessible, adaptable and the flavors are nuanced, resulting in a mouthwatering dish that can be whipped up at a moments notice. If you don't have spinach on hand, use kale or another dark leafy green. If you don't have green onions, use diced white or red, or a shallot or two.

mirin tofu scramble on a white plate with a fork

Mirin And Red Pepper Tofu Scramble

Recipe Type: Breakfast

YIELDS 2 mains/4 sides

PREP TIME 05 min

COOK TIME 15 min

TOTAL TIME 20 min

14 oz Tofu
2 Tbsp Oil
4 Garlic Cloves, Smashed
1 Tbsp, plus more for serving Toasted Sesame Seeds
1 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
1 cup, chopped thin Spinach
3, chopped into bite sized pieces Green Onions
3 Tbsp Soy Sauce (Tamari for GF version)
2 Tbsp Mirin (Japanese sweet cooking wine)
2 Tbsp Vegan butter

Directions

1. You can press the tofu for a half hour beforehand, or simply squeeze as much water as you can out of it right before cooking. Crumble tofu with your hands or grate it on the large holes of a box grater. Set aside.

2. Heat 2 Tbsp oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add smashed garlic gloves and cook until golden, being mindful not to burn. Then, add 1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds and 1 tsp red chili flakes to pan and stir for a few seconds more, until fragrant.

3. Increase the heat to medium-high, add tofu and cook. Stir frequently so that you get nice crispy golden spots on the tofu.

4. Add spinach, green onions, soy sauce, mirin and vegan butter. Continue cooking until spinach is wilted in, and the liquid is evenly distributed and mostly cooked-off.

5. Garnish with extra toasted sesame seeds, green onions or red chili flakes if desired. I often eat this on its own, but my siblings like it over a bowl of white rice. The choice is yours. Either way, you will be licking the scrumptious butter fat off your lips and wondering when you can make this dish again.

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Photo: R. Coker