Sweet Potato-Tofu Stew
Published Feb. 23, 2024
- Total Time
- 1 hour
- Prep Time
- 10 minutes
- Cook Time
- 45 to 55 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
Advertisement
Ingredients
- 3tablespoons toasted sesame oil, plus more to taste
- 7 to 8ounces shiitake mushrooms, stems discarded, caps sliced ¼-inch-thick
- 1medium onion, halved and thinly sliced
- 1tablespoon grated fresh ginger
- 3pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks (about 8 cups)
- 2cups dashi (instant or homemade), or use vegetable or chicken broth
- 1piece dried kombu, about 5-inches square (optional)
- 6tablespoons soy sauce, plus more to taste
- 3tablespoons mirin
- 3tablespoons sake
- 2tablespoons raw or turbinado sugar
- 1pound firm tofu, cut into 1-inch cubes
- Salt, as needed
- 1tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 to 3cups baby greens, such as kale, spinach or mustard
- 1teaspoon rice wine vinegar, plus more to taste
- 4scallions, thinly sliced
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)
470 calories; 15 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 5 grams monounsaturated fat; 7 grams polyunsaturated fat; 63 grams carbohydrates; 11 grams dietary fiber; 17 grams sugars; 22 grams protein; 1166 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Powered by
Opt out or contact us anytime. See our Privacy Policy.
Opt out or contact us anytime. See our Privacy Policy.
Preparation
- Step 1
In a medium pot, heat 2 tablespoons sesame oil over medium-high. Add mushrooms, onion and ginger, and cook, stirring, until golden and tender, 7 to 10 minutes.
- Step 2
Add sweet potatoes, dashi, kombu (if using), 5 tablespoons soy sauce, the mirin, sake and sugar. Bring to a lively simmer. Place a piece of parchment paper or another cover directly on top of the liquid (see Tip) and simmer gently until the sweet potatoes are very tender, 30 to 35 minutes.
- Step 3
While the stew simmers, line a plate or baking sheet with a clean kitchen towel or paper towels, and place tofu cubes on top. Place another layer of paper towels or wrap up the kitchen towel around the tofu and weigh down with a skillet or plate topped by cans. Let sit for at least 15 minutes. Unwrap and place half of the tofu cubes in a small bowl; drizzle with remaining 1 tablespoon soy sauce and a pinch of salt, and set aside to marinate.
- Step 4
In another bowl, toss remaining tofu with cornstarch. Heat a nonstick or well-seasoned cast-iron skillet over medium-high and add the remaining 1 tablespoon sesame oil. Once the oil is hot, add the tofu cubes and fry until crisp, 5 to 7 minutes, turning them on all sides. Transfer cubes to a paper towel-lined plate and season lightly with salt. (Or you can crisp the tofu in the oven or an air fryer; see Tip.)
- Step 5
When the sweet potatoes are tender, uncover the stew. If the sauce seems thin, simmer uncovered for a few more minutes to reduce it.
- Step 6
Stir the greens into the stew to wilt, then stir in the soy sauce-marinated tofu, any extra soy sauce from the bowl, and the rice wine vinegar. The potatoes may start to fall apart from all the stirring, and that is OK: They’ll thicken the sauce. Taste, adding more salt, soy sauce, sesame oil and rice wine vinegar until it’s bright and savory.
- Step 7
Ladle stew into bowls and top with scallions and crispy tofu. Drizzle with more soy sauce if you like, for serving.
- You’ll need to lay something directly on the top of the stew to allow for some evaporation while keeping the vegetables submerged. You can use parchment paper. Either cut a round just large enough to fit inside your pot, or press a larger piece into the pot touching the surface, and letting the edges stand up. Or, if you can, use a silicone steamer lid or a collapsible steamer basket small enough to fit inside the pot. It’s fine if the lid is smaller than the pot by an inch or so, as long as most of the vegetables stay submerged so they cook evenly.
- You can crisp tofu cubes in the air fryer or roast them on an oiled baking sheet in a 425-degree oven. (Drizzle the top of the cubes with a little oil as well; bake for 20 to 25 minutes.)
Private Notes
Comments
Love the new (to me) addition of Prep Time in the recipe metadata! Gentle suggestion to under-promise and over-deliver on those estimates. I might just be a slow line cook, but to me, 10 minutes is an awfully tight timeframe to: * de-stem and slice 8oz of shiitakes * halve and thinly slice an onion * grate 1T of ginger * peel and dice 8c of sweet potatoes * cube 1lb of tofu * thinly slice 4 scallions Again, love to see those prep times bubbled up now for readers! Hope they keep dialing that in
I wish Melissa would give us her opinion regarding whether recipes freeze well, or can stay a few days in the fridge or neither. Most of her recipes are for four people and we are usually two for dinner.
Fry all of the tofu, rather than 1/2. more flavorful.
Cooked it as described. Worked out well Used orange sweet potatoes (in New Zealand we have a few varieties - these cook fastest). Used chicken stock mixed with soaking water of dried shiitake. No mirin so used a little sugar Did the tofu both ways - real simple. DELICIOUS
Delicious, without mirin and sugar. I used apple cider vinegar and a dry white wine instead of the rice vinegar and sake since that's what I had. I also skipped pressing the tofu and just marinated it in the soy sauce. It came out very well. I certainly agree with Em L regarding the time to prep this recipe.
This is one of my favorites!!!!! I eyeball most of this recipe, tasting and adding as I go. I sub in salted Miyokos plant based butter to make it dairy free, and serve with warmed pitas. I have had friends come over to share this stew with me and they all love it :)
Advertisement