Steamed Silken Tofu with Garlic. No Soy sauce

This savory steamed silken tofu garnished with garlic and scallion is easy to prepare, healthy, and flavourful. Seasoned with a mixture of homemade chicken stock, good-quality all-natural fish sauce, and sugar substitutes, this dish is perfect for a quick and healthy meal anytime, on any occasion.

Cook Steamed Silken Tofu with me!

This savory steamed silken tofu garnished with garlic and scallion is easy to prepare, healthy, and flavourful. Seasoned with a mixture of homemade chicken stock, natural Vietnamese fish sauce, and healthy substitutes for sugar, this dish is perfect for a quick, healthy dish anytime on any occasion.

Why is it called silken tofu?

This tofu is called silken tofu due to the silky soft texture that melts in the mouth. Imagine soybean pudding texture or panna cotta. It is also known as Japanese tofu. Unlike regular tofu, or hard tofu, which is solid in texture and more flexible to handle, silken tofu crumbles easily, and it can get messy if you do not handle it gently during preparation. The method of cooking silken tofu is limited to steaming and soup/stew.

How to find good silken tofu?

If you are concerned about health, it is important to;

• Check the ingredients on the label.
• Find one as natural as possible or minimally processed.
• Some brands might contain preservatives and artificial flavoring, so best to avoid this in the ingredient list.
• Try to avoid ones with ingredients that are hard for you to spell.
• If possible, find one with no GMOs (genetically modified organisms). Because of excessive farming and plantation, genes are added to our food for some benefits. It helps the food industry to produce more, improves the growth of the crops, and modifies the nutrient content for pest resistance and ease of farming. There are concerns regarding both health and environmental impact when it comes to GMOs

Benefits of eating tofu.

According to BBC Good Food & Healthline

• Source of protective antioxidants
• May reduce menopausal symptoms
• May support heart health
• Source of ‘complete’ plant protein – Amino Acids
• May support blood sugar management
• Potentially leads to stronger bones
• Potentially improves brain function

How to prepare silken tofu

1. Flip the silken tofu pack and cut each bottom edge using scissors. This creates small holes on each of the packaging edges in order to let the air in to release the tofu out.
2. Be sure to place the tofu on the serving plate you use for steaming so you don’t have to move it once you cut it.
3. Open the top plastic cover.
4. Flip the pack and gently squeeze the pack to release the tofu.
5. Steps 5,6,7 and 8: gently cut the tofu into 8 slices (or depending on the size of your silken tofu).
6. In steps 9 and 10, gently lay them down and arrange the slices.

Other ingredients

Chicken stock

Chicken stock is anti-inflammatory, it makes gravy and soup taste better and adds nutrition to the food. Homemade chicken stock is essential in my pantry list since I limit the use of condiments in my cook. If you’re like me and don’t prepare the chicken stock on your own, buy from a trusted source made from quality ingredients. Also, check if preservatives, artificial flavors, or other condiments are used in the preparation.
Chicken stock can stay in the freezer for up to 3 months. To make it convenient for you, make it a frozen cube!
This recipe needs only 1 tbsp of chicken stock if you prefer more soupy, double all the ingredients.

Fish Sauce

Sauce and condiments can cause inflammation, so choosing ones that are minimally processed and as natural as possible is important. I am using this Red Boat fish sauce. It contains only natural ingredients, which are black anchovies from the clear waters of Vietnam called Phu Quoc, and no chemical preservatives, sugar, and MSG.

Palm Sugar

If I need to add sweeteners, I always use natural palm sugar. It is a better alternative than refined white sugar, which is an empty carb. Palm sugar contains micronutrients such as magnesium, potassium, iron and zinc and Vitamin B1, B2, B3, B6, B12 and C. 

However, palm sugar is still a sugar and can cause a blood sugar spike. If you are diabetic, it’s best to take it in moderation or consult with your dietitian on how much you can take a day.

Scallion / Spring Onion

For this recipe, I use the whole spring onion, from the green part to the white part. The white part has a more pungent taste. So if you fancy a sharp taste, always include the white part of the scallion in your dish for a natural flavor and texture.

Garlic

This recipe uses one large clove of garlic. I suggest grating it to release the flavor.

Other tofu recipes

• Vegan tom yum soup/Tom Kha style
• Indonesian turmeric curry with tempeh and tofu

Steamed Silken Tofu with Garlic. No Soy sauce

Recipe by NudraCourse: SidesCuisine: AsianDifficulty: Easy

Prep

10

minutes

Cook

8

minutes

Ready In

10

minutes

This steamed silken tofu recipe incorporates anti-inflammatory ingredients with soy sauce subtitute to flavor up the tofu.

Ingredients

• 1 pack of silken tofu / 300g

• 1 tbsp of homemade chicken stock

• 1 tsp of all-natural fish sauce. I use Read Boat fish sauce

• 3-4 drops of pure sesame oil

• 1 tsp of palm sugar

• 1/2 tsp of coarse chili powder

• 1 clove of garlic – freshly grated

• 1 stalk of spring onion

• 1 small Japanese cucumber

• Sesame seeds for garnish – optional

Directions

• Remove tofu from the box. Slightly cut each of the edges on the bottom of the tofu box. See the photo below on how to prepare the silken tofu.
• Cut the tofu into 8 slices depending on your tofu size. Start from the middle to get the balance slices.
• Prepare a steam pot by filling half of the pot with water and put the tofu in the steam pot and leave it for 8 minutes.
• Thinly slice the spring onion and add it to a medium-sized bowl.
• Add freshly grated garlic, chicken stock, fish sauce, palm sugar, sesame oil, and chili powder to the bowl and stir to combine. Set it aside
• Thinly slice the cucumber, you can use a slicer or knife. Set it aside
• Once the tofu is cooked, turn off the heat, and drain the excess water in it by tilting the plate a little bit. Or put a ball of clean kitchen towel to absorb the water. Be careful not to touch the plate or the water with your bare hands.
• Bring out the tofu from the steamer and arrange the slices of cucumber in between each slice of the tofu. (Alternatively you can also add the cucumber before steaming, but they won’t be as crisp)
• Pour in the mixture on top of the tofu, sprinkle with sesame seeds (optional) and it’s ready to serve!

Recipe Video

🥣 Did you try this recipe? Let me know your thoughts in the comment below.