Spicy Tofu and Buckwheat Noodles Recipe

I've been sitting on a package of Northern Style Tofu (my favorite kind) and I really wanted to do something with it.  I also had some fresh Korean Buckwheat noodles from making Jjajangmyun.  As I had the Korean noodles I decided to do a Korean inspired recipe.  Spicy Tofu and Buckwheat Noodles was born.

Ingredients-
1 large package Tofu (firm)
Some veggie oil
1/2 cup corn
1 small onion
3 cloves of garlic
3 tbs vinegar (I used season sushi vinegar)
3 tbs soy sauce
1/4 cup hot water
1 tsp cornstarch
1 tbs red pepper paste (this will make is super spicy . . . if you don't like that add less . . . )

First, cut up your tofu and vegetables.  I also cut my tofu into awesome flowers using a very small cookie cutter (I cooked all the tofu though, none goes to waste).  Fry up the tofu in some veggie oil.  It will take a bit, but make sure its good and golden brown.  That makes it taste better.  Then add the chopped onion and garlic and the corn.  I used frozen.  Stir fry everything until the onion is transparent.  While that is cooking up make up the sauce and start the water to boil for the noodles.  For the sauce mix the vinegar, soy sauce, hot water, corn starch, and red pepper paste.  Add the sauce to the tofu and cook for about 5 minutes until its nice and thick.  Hopefully your water boiled and you got to cook your noodles (they need 3 minutes).  Put some noodles and tofu in a bowl and enjoy.

Tofu hanging out in veggie oil . . .

Look flowers . . .

Tofu, corn, and onion . . .

Sauce all mixed up . . .

Cook down the sauce . . .

A bowl full of wonderful!

It turned out fantastic.  I'm totally going to make it again.  Its spicy and just a bit sweet.  Next time I may use a different vegetable or something to mix it up a bit.  Yummy!

Panfried Tofu: Dubu buchim yangnyumjang and dubu ganjang jorim!

I did some more Korean cooking today.  I have been trying (and failing) to make delicious tofu for awhile now.  It is a good source of protein, I just didn't really know how to use it.  This may surprise you, but it isn't a super common ingredient in the Midwest where I grew up.  I noticed that Maangchi had two recipes (utilizing 1 block of tofu) over at her site and have been meaning to try it ever since (please follow my link to the recipe).  Today I did.

1 block of tofu cut into 20 pieces

Panfried is part of the title . . .

First, I made the spicy Dubu buckim yangnyumjang first (I think I will refer to it as spicy tofu as the Korean is a bit of a mouth full!) I made this one completely as instructed.  I did have a really large green onion though . . .

Sauce ingredients . . .

Mixed up it looks delicious!

All done!

Happy skeleton says "Yum"

Next, I made the sweet dubu ganjang jorim (sweet tofu, once again the Korean is a bit of a mouthful!).  I was out of corn syrup (which I realized while cooking), so I used golden syrup instead.  I don't think this effected anything much . . .

Caramelizing the sweet sauce . . . 

All done!

Happy Skeleton say "Yum"

I loved both dishes but the spicy dubu buckim yangnyumjang was my favorite.  Good enough to be made again and again!  I'm very happy I finally found a tofu recipe that I find satisfying!

Thanks Maangchi!
 ~I recommend trying anything she makes! (watch the cute video)