Hello! I hope some of you have tried my recipes! Please tell me if you do and if you have ways of improving them.
This is a modified recipe that I used a long time ago to make braised pork belly in Soy Sauce (Tau Yew Bak). I no longer eat pork but still crave that slightly caramelly taste of this sauce. Today’s recipe is essentially Vegetarian Tau Yew Bak or Tau Yew Bak no Bak. Heehee… *Tau Yew is soy sauce. Bak refers to flesh or meat (in this instance, pork).
This braising method is easy and fuss free. I’m using dark soy sauce because it produces a darker sauce though milder in taste (less salty) compared to light soy. But otherwise it’s about the same as regular soy sauce. If you don’t have dark soy, regular soy will do too. Add a total of 5 tablespoons of light soy instead. It’ll be equally salty but lighter in colour.
What I like about this modified recipe is that, it’s fast and easy to make, yet still satisfies my craving. I love braise sauces over plain steamed rice – my kind of comfort food.
Braised Tofu & Eggs (Vegetarian Tau Yew Bak)
Serves 2 -4. Prep time: 5 minutes. Cooking time: 45 minutes.
3 cups water
4 hard boiled eggs
4 garlic cloves (smashed with the back of a knife to release flavour)
4 tbsp dark soy sauce
3 tbsp light soy sauce
3 tbsp brown sugar
Salt & pepper to taste
1/2 block of tofu (cut into small rectangular pieces)
1 stick of cinnamon
2 star anise
3 cloves
Method:
1. Heat up a pot with 3 cups of water and bring to boil then lower heat.
2. Add tofu, garlic, soy sauces, brown sugar, soy sauce, cinnamon, cloves and star anise. Then stir gently to mix everything.
3. Bring to a boil then add peeled hard boiled eggs.
4. Lower the heat to medium and braise for 15 minutes.
5. Turn the heat to lowest for another 25 – 30 minutes.
6. Serve with steamed rice.
And there you have it – vegetarian tau yew bak aka braised tofu and eggs!
An Exercise In Trivial Pursuits 