Tofu no hoshi-ebi itame / stir-fried tofu with shami dried shrimp

An easy tofu stir-fry where extra minutes spent sauteing ensure a pleasantly tender outcome. To match and maximize tofu's silky texture, garlic, ginger and shami dried shrimp are slowly sauteed for a gentler aroma, and tofu is allowed to absorb their flavor along with other seasonings. Tasty and comforting.

1/2 of recipe:
73 calories; 7.4 g protein; 3.4 g fat; 2.6 g carbohydrate; 2.2 g net carbs; 122 mg sodium (with 50% reduced-sodium soy sauce); 20 mg cholesterol; 0.4 g fiber


＜Ingredients> 

220-250 g kinugoshi soft tofu (221 g in photo)
8 g hoshi-ebi shami dried shrimp, soaked in 1 tbsp water
1 clove garlic
1 small knob ginger

For seasonings
1 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp shokoshu shaoxing wine
1/2 tsp kurozu brown rice vinegar
(Water used to rehydrate shami above)

1/2 tsp oil

<Directions>
1.

Put tofu on zaru strainer or plate to remove excess water, 10+ minutes.
(Can be skipped; see Notes.)

2.

Chop garlic, ginger and shami (save water used to rehydrate shami).

3.

Mix all seasonings (add soy sauce, shaoxing wine and kurozu vinegar to shami rehydration water).

4.

Heat oil, and saute garlic, ginger and shami on medium low to low heat until fragrant.

5.

Add tofu by breaking up into 2-3 cm chunks by hand, raise heat somewhat, and continue cooking while occasionally turning.

If tofu chunks are too large, divide with spatula.

6.

When tofu is heated through, add seasoning mix, and continue cooking while turning from time to time until liquid is reduced to a very small amount.

Ready to serve.

<Notes>

• Ideally, soak shami in water for a few hours to overnight for a softer flavor. If in a hurry, soak shami in warm water or microwave in water.
• Briefly draining tofu before cooking is to minimize the amount of seasonings. Optionally, cook tofu a bit longer to eliminate excess moisture.
• Above nutrition figures are based on the assumption that half of seasonings are consumed.