I’m Chinese, and also a professional hoarder for all kinds of spices and condiments, from saffron to Madagascar vanilla beans, from black cardamons to green tea flavored salt, from “3 crabs”* fish sauce to 9 kinds of vinegars, these are just a few examples. I have a lot of recipes that call nothing of these sorts, but sometimes, I’d like to invite you to experiment, and discover new flavors. Today is the beginning. This recipe is Japanese cuisine inspired. Miso adds saltiness and depth of flavor to the dish, and Mirin helps remove the fishy taste of the clams and add some sweet hint. But in case you don’t have Mirin, don’t worry, just add 1 teaspoon of sugar to 2 tablespoons of dry white wine or sherry to mimic the sweet and tangy flavor of Mirin.
Although the recipe name is stew, it can be done fairly fast. I normally dice onion and celery when the pan is heating, cut the tofu when the vegetables are softening, open the jar and peel edamame when the tofu is cooking, so it’s an easy weekday dinner for me. If you are a slow chopper or like to do all the preps before turning on the heat (which is a good idea), it can be ready under 30 minutes.
Edamame beans and tofu are both excellent plant based protein. Miso and clams already have a lot of flavor. Onion, celery and Mirin all add sweetness. We cook tofu just slightly so it’s still tender, and do not overcook clams! The dish has a mild taste but is rich in umami. My girls loved it.
Try the recipe and let me know what you think.
Tofu stew with miso, baby clams and edamame beans
- Prep Time: 10m
- Cook Time: 20m
- Total Time: 30m
- Serves: 4
- Category: Main dish
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 4 celery stalks, diced
- 1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons miso
- 1/2 cup Mirin or dry white wine
- 14 ounces (1 package) Tofu, firm, cut into 1 inch cubes
- 10 ounces (1 can) baby clams
- 1/2 cup edamame beans, pre-cooked
- Freshly ground white pepper
Instructions
- Heat a wide 4 quart pan at medium-high heat for 2 minutes, add olive oil, it should start shimmer once hit the pan. Add onion, celery and salt, cook about 4 minutes until the vegetables are softened.
- Add Miso to the pan and mix well with the vegetables, cook for about 3 minutes. Miso should be well dissolved, and no lump remain.
- Add Mirin, mix for 1 minute, then add tofu, and the liquid from the can of baby clams, stir gently, cover and cook for 5 minutes.
- Add baby clams and edamame beans, cook for another 2 minutes until everything is heated through.
- Add white peppers to taste. Serve hot with rice or eat on its own.
(“3 crabs” is a brand of fish sauce.)
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