Braised tofu with fresh shiitake & kelp
Golden tofu braised with fresh shiitake, kelp and aged tangerine peel — light, low in oil and lovely with brown rice.
- 30 min
- Serves 2
- Braise
- Easy
Why it suits you: Phlegm-Dampness brings heaviness, tiredness and a thick tongue coating, and the muggy, sticky air of Awakening of Insects easily bogs down digestion. Shiitake and kelp resolve phlegm, tofu keeps the meal light and low in fat, and tangerine peel and ginger dry the damp.
Method
Prep 15 min · Cook 15 min- 1Soak the kelp for 20 minutes until soft, rinse and cut into strips. Soak the tangerine peel, scrape off the pith and shred it. Stem the shiitake and slice thickly; slice the carrot.
- 2Cut the tofu into thick pieces and pat dry with kitchen paper. Heat the oil and fry the tofu until golden on both sides, then set aside.
- 3In the same pan, fry the ginger and tangerine peel until fragrant, add the shiitake and carrot and stir-fry for 1 minute, then add the kelp, soy sauce and 250 ml water and bring to the boil.
- 4Return the tofu, cover and braise on low heat for 10 minutes, then uncover and reduce the sauce. Scatter over the spring onion and serve with brown rice — half a bowl each is plenty.
Cautions
- Kelp is very high in iodine — go easy if you have an overactive thyroid or are being treated for a thyroid condition.
Chef's tips
- Use firm or cloth-wrapped tofu so it holds its shape when fried, and always pat it dry before it goes into the pan.
- Ready-to-use kelp knots from the supermarket (about 150 g) need no soaking — just rinse and add.
The TCM view
Fresh shiitake is sweet and neutral; it builds qi, supports digestion and helps resolve phlegm. Kelp is salty and cold and dissolves phlegm and drains water; tofu is sweet and cool and settles the middle; aged tangerine peel is pungent, bitter and warm and dries damp. Warming ginger balances the cooler kelp and tofu, so damp is cleared without chilling the spleen.
