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Congee with Brown Butter Gochujang Tofu

5 | 9 reviews
Congee is a short-grain rice porridge and is one of my favorite ways to make a small amount of ingredients yield a large amount of (filling!) food. When I am looking for a comforting, healthy dinner, this simple congee and bright, warming gochujang tofu is easy to whip up. The tofu is seared and then simmered in the spicy-sweet gochujang sauce, and a little richness from the brown butter goes a long way. It's one of my favorite weeknight dinners.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 4

Equipment

Ingredients

For the congee:
  • 1 cup short grain rice, such as Aborio rice or sushi rice
  • 6 scallions, greens and whites separated
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 8 cups water
  • 2 slices fresh ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
For the gochujang tofu:
  • 1 (16 oz) pack extra firm tofu
  • 2 tablespoons avocado oil, for frying
  • 1/2 medium (3.5 oz) red onion
  • 2 tablespoons (1 oz) tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1/4 cup (3 oz) cup gochujang paste
  • 3 tablespoons (1.5 oz) tablespoons mirin
  • 2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
  • 1 cup warm water

Instructions 

  1. Begin with the congee. Rinse 1 cup of short grain rice very well. Set aside.
  2. Thinly slice the white parts of 6 scallions, set aside. Thinly slice the scallion greens on an angle, an optional step is to add them to a bowl of ice water to crisp up. Set those aside.
  3. Set a large pot over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil. Let this heat up for a few minutes before adding the white parts of the scallions. Cook, stirring occasionally for 4-5 minutes, or until the white parts have softened and smell fragrant.
  4. Add 8 cups of water to the pot. Bring the water to a boil and add 2 slices of fresh ginger. Add the rice and reduce the heat to low. Cover but leave cracked and simmer for 45-50 minutes, or until the congee has thickened. Begin checking and stirring it around the 30-minute mark.
  5. While the congee is simmering, prepare the tofu.
  6. Drain a 16-ounce pack of extra-firm tofu. Lightly press out any moisture and cut it into 1-inch thick pieces.
  7. If you have the time, lay these pieces on a sheet pan and cover with a lint-free dish towel or paper towels. Top with another sheet pan and a few books. Press out the moisture while you set up the rest of this dish. This is optional but creates a very crispy tofu.
  8. Thinly slice 1/2 of a red onion and set aside.
  9. Set a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of avocado oil and let it heat up for a few minutes before adding the tofu. Fry the tofu in two batches, letting each batch cook for 4-5 minutes on each side, or until golden.
  10. While the tofu is frying, add 1/4 cup of gochujang paste, 3 tablespoons of mirin, 2 teaspoons of freshly grated ginger and 1 cup of warm water to a small bowl and whisk until combined.
  11. Remove the tofu from the pan and add 2 tablespoons of butter, let this melt then add the red onion. Cook, stirring often for 5-7 minutes or until the onion is fully softened and flecks of brown are forming as the milk solids in the butter toast.
  12. Add the tofu and the gochujang mixture back to the pan. Bring this to a simmer. Let simmer for 3-4 minutes, or until the sauce has reduced by half and is all glossy around the tofu.
  13. Check on the congee. It should be thick like oatmeal. Season with 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt, then taste and add more as needed.
  14. To serve, add the congee to four bowls. Top with even portions of the tofu. Garnish with the scallion greens.
Serving: 15 ouncesCalories: 559kcalCarbohydrates: 62gProtein: 17gFat: 26g