Black Bean Tofu

This was my lunch today. It was so good that I had to post it, even though I couldn't find my camera (the photo was taken with my phone, which is why it has that Precious Moments vignette quality...).

I kind of came up with this on the fly, after feeling quite sorry for myself after having some pretty icky Asian takeout last night. I wanted something good. Something with depth of flavor, not just fried tofu tossed with some chili, HFCS, and vinegar. My tummy can't handle that kind of abuse.

Tofu can be good. It should be good. I found that was missing food cooked with black beans. You know, those little fermented soybeans in dishes like Black Bean Chicken and Twice Cooked Pork (the Szechuan dish of stir-fried pork belly --what the rest of us know as bacon--basically a heart attack on a platter).  Black beans are salty, oily, a little smoky, and absolutely delicious. You can find them at Asian groceries and some supermarkets, if they have a good ethnic foods section.

This recipe serves three to four. Four, if you are the kind of weirdo that sticks to serving suggestions. My family just isn't. My 2 year old could easily finish off an entire pan of this if I let him.

I served this with plain old spinach stir-fried with garlic and steamed rice. Very bland sides like steamed veggies would really compliment this dish, since it is quite flavorful.

Black Bean Tofu

1 block tofu pressed and cut into 1 inch cubes**
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 bunch green onions, cut into 1 1/2 inch lengths (green parts only)
2 rounded tablespoons fermented black beans
1-2 tablespoons oil, for the pan (less if you can get away with it)

Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium high heat. When the pan has gotten quite hot, add some oil. Toss in the garlic and stir for a few seconds. Add the cubed tofu. Saute until all sides of the tofu are light golden brown. Add the black beans and toss to coat. Continue to saute until the cubes of tofu are caramelized in places. You want lots of spots of dark brown. Toss in the green onions and saute just enough to wilt them. Serve with simple vegetables and plenty of steamed rice.


**This recipe was tested using 19 oz blocks of organic tofu from Trader Joe's. The big box that does not specify firmness. It is rather soft, and absorbed the flavor of the sauce quite well. If your block of tofu is the 14 oz variety, I recommend adding half a cup of chopped veggies, such as sliced onions or celery, after letting the tofu cook for a few minutes. Alternatively, cut back on the black beans by about 1/2 tablespoon.