Pressed Five-Spice Tofu

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Pressed Five-spice Tofu

Yield: 2 lbs

If you can find extra firm tofu that’s vacuum sealed rather than submerged in water, then you can skip the pressing and go straight to braising it.

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Ingredients

• 2 lbs firm tofu
• ½ c soy sauce
• 2 T sugar
• 3 c water
• 2 pods star anise
• 6 cloves
• 4 bay leaves
• 2 small cinnamon sticks
• 1 t white peppercorns

Instructions

1. Slice the tofu into 5 equal slabs (each one 4 inches x 2 inches and about ¾ inch thick). Make them as even as possible for even pressing.
2. Press the tofu. Place the tofu in a single layer between two cutting boards. Weigh it down with at least 5 pounds (a bag of flour, pot of water, or 6 cans of beans work well for this). Set the entire apparatus on a sheet tray to catch the liquid that’s pressed out. Place the apparatus in the fridge for 5 hours. (see tip)
3. Braise the tofu. Combine the braising ingredients in a wide, heavy-bottomed pot and bring to a boil. Add the pressed tofu gently (it’s still fragile at this stage). Cover, reduce the heat, and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let it continue braising for at least 1 hour. Flip the tofu once during this period.
4. Dry the tofu. Preheat the oven to 300℉ with the fan on. Drain the tofu on a sheet tray lined with a baking rack. Dry in the oven for 30 minutes. Flip the tofu, and dry for another 30 minutes.