Imitation Tofu Omelette (Gisei Tofu)

Imitation Tofu Omelette (Gisei Tofu) is a Japanese omelette with tofu and greens blended into it. Though I name it an omelette, it isn’t made like an ordinary omelette in a frying pan. The cooking methodology is nearer to a frittata, however the form of the omelette is a block like tofu as an alternative of a spherical form.

The Japanese title of immediately’s dish, ‘gisei tofu’ (擬製豆腐) means imitation tofu. It doesn’t embrace the phrase for ‘omelette’ or ‘egg’, though the dish has a great quantity of egg in it. Right here is the rationale why.

It’s stated that the dish was invented by monks who had been solely allowed to eat Shōjin Ryōri (Buddhist vegetarian delicacies). As a result of they might solely eat greens, they blended eggs into the damaged tofu items with chopped greens and cooked the combination right into a tofu form, disguising it as a tofu dish.

There are different tales, resembling Gisei being the title of the monk who invented this dish. However I just like the story of cheeky monks desirous to eat a prohibited ingredient in disguise!

What’s in my Imitation Tofu Omelette (Gisei Tofu)

• Momen tofu (agency tofu)
• Carrot reduce into skinny batons
• Boiled bamboo shoots reduce into skinny batons
• Boiled edamame beans
• Julienned wooden ear mushrooms (or black fungus)
• Eggs
• Oil

The elements of Imitation Tofu Omelette are similar to Fried Tofu Patties (Ganmodoki), however the omelette doesn’t comprise corn flour/cornstarch.

Wooden ear mushrooms and black fungus are related and used nearly interchangeably in cooking, however they’re completely different species. They’re offered in a dried kind, and it’s worthwhile to rehydrate them earlier than cooking. The color of dried wooden ear mushrooms is sort of black. The color of black fungus is black on one aspect and gray on the opposite aspect, though it turns into black when rehydrated. Wooden ear mushrooms are softer and quicker to prepare dinner.

The mix of greens can fluctuate. Different greens which might be suited to Gisei Tofu embrace (however not restricted to) inexperienced onion, mushrooms, hijiki seaweed, and beans.

Flavouring

• Mild soy sauce
• Mirin
• Sugar

Methods to make Imitation Tofu Omelette (Gisei Tofu)

You’ll be able to prepare dinner Gisei Tofu both on a cooktop utilizing a tamagoyaki pan (rectangular Japanese omelette pan) or within the oven utilizing a small rectangular/sq. baking pan.

The detailed directions for each strategies are within the recipe card. The steps under are the high-level course of of creating Gisei Tofu utilizing a tamagoyaki pan.

1. Take away extra water from the tofu.
2. Sauté greens in a frying pan, then add the Flavouring elements and tofu to the pan.
3. Prepare dinner till the moisture within the pan principally evaporates, breaking tofu into small items.
4. Switch the combination to a bowl with overwhelmed eggs. Combine nicely.
5. Pour the egg and tofu combination to the tamagoyaki pan and prepare dinner over low warmth.
6. Shift the combination to at least one aspect utilizing a spatula in order that the thickness of the combination turns into about 3cm/1⅛”.
7. Prepare dinner for 3-4 minutes, then flip it over. Prepare dinner for additional 3-4 minutes.
8. Switch the Gisei Tofu to a reducing board and reduce it into massive chunk dimension items.

My tamagoyaki pan was a bit too massive to make a block of Gisei Tofu with the satisfactory thickness, so I pushed the combination to at least one aspect to scale back the scale of the block. In case your pan is smaller, you don’t need to shift the combination. Alternatively, you’ll be able to enhance the amount of elements to fill the pan.

Baking within the Oven

If baking the combination within the oven, line your cake pan with baking paper, pour the egg and tofu combination into the pan and bake it at 180°C/356°F for 25 minutes.

You’ll be able to reduce your Gisei Tofu into any dimension you want. I reduce mine into 12 items so that every piece will be picked up with chopsticks. It’s fairly alright to serve one massive piece too.

By various the greens to enter the combination, the looks of your sliced Gisei Tofu modifications rather a lot. You’ll be able to serve a number of items on a plate as a most important dish or 1-2 items as a aspect dish and even as a nibble for drinks. You can also make Gisei Tofu a day earlier than serving, which makes it good for a bento field too.

Yumiko

Imitation Tofu Omelette (Gisei Tofu)

Imitation Tofu Omelette (Gisei Tofu) is a Japanese omelette with tofu and greens blended into it. Though I name it an Omelette, it isn’t made like an ordinary omelette in a frying pan. The cooking methodology is nearer to a frittata, however the form of the omelette isn’t spherical. It’s made right into a block like tofu.

The Prepare dinner Time exhibits the time required utilizing a cooktop.

Do not forget to see the part ‘MEAL IDEAS’ under the recipe card! It offers you an inventory of dishes that I’ve already posted and this recipe that may make up an entire meal. I hope it’s of assist to you.

Recipe Kind:

Foremost, Aspect

Delicacies:

Japanese

Key phrase:

Japanese Omelette, vegetarian dish

Serves: 2 -3 as most important

Creator: Yumiko

Substances (tbsp=15ml, cup=250ml)

• 1
  pack
  momen tofu/agency tofu
  (300g/0.7lb, be aware 1)
• 2
  eggs
  overwhelmed
• 1
  tbsp
  oil

Greens (be aware 2)

• 50g/1.8oz
  carrot
  reduce into 3mm/⅛” thick 4cm/1 19⁄16″ lengthy batons
• 50g/1.8oz
  boiled bamboo shoots
  reduce into 3mm/⅛” thick 4cm/1 19⁄16″ lengthy batons (be aware 3)
• ¼
  cup
  edamame beans
  (boiled)
• 30g/1.1oz
  wooden ear mushrooms/black fungus
  rehydrated and julienned thinly

Flavouring

• 1
  tbsp
  gentle soy sauce
  (be aware 4)
• 1
  tbsp
  mirin
• 1
  tsp
  sugar

Directions

1. Wrap the tofu in a few items of kitchen paper and place it on a reducing board.

2. Place one thing beneath one finish of the reducing board to tilt the board and place it in order that the surplus water drains into the sink (simply in case).

3. Place a tray on prime of the tofu, then place a weight of about 1kg/2.2lb on prime (I used a carton of long-life milk). Go away it for 20 minutes, then take away the kitchen paper.

4. Put oil in a frying pan and warmth over medium warmth.

5. Add all of the Greens elements to the pan and stir-fry them for 4-5 minutes.

6. Add the Flavouring elements and tofu to the pan and sauté, breaking the block into small items, till moisture is generally evaporated (see the Step-by-step photograph).

7. Switch the tofu combination to a bowl with overwhelmed egg and blend nicely.

Cooking on a Cooktop Utilizing a Tamagoyaki Pan (be aware 5)

1. Oil the within of the pan thinly utilizing a brush or a bit of folded kitchen paper and warmth it at low temperature.

2. Pour the combination into the pan. Push the combination to at least one aspect in order that the combination fills to about 5mm under the rim of the pan (the combination turns into 3cm/1⅛” thick, be aware 6).

3. Prepare dinner for 4-5 minutes, often pushing the aspect of the combination that doesn’t have a boundary to maintain the sq. form.

4. Flip the combination onto the again of a tray or a flat plate (cooked aspect up), then slide the combination again into the pan, putting the aspect that you simply pushed with the spatula towards the metallic aspect of the pan.

5. Cowl the floor with a sheet of aluminium foil (in order that it cooks by means of quicker) and prepare dinner for 3-4 minutes.

6. Switch the cooked Gisei Tofu to a reducing board and reduce it into 12 items (be aware 7).

Cooking within the Oven Utilizing a Cake Pan (be aware 8)

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180°C/356°F. Line the cake pan with baking paper.

2. Pour the combination into the pan. Drop the pan onto the work bench in order that that backside corners of the pan are crammed with the combination.

3. Degree the floor of the combination and bake within the oven for 25 minutes.

4. Switch the Gisei Tofu from the pan along with the baking paper.

5. Open the paper and reduce it into massive chunk dimension items (be aware 9).

Recipe Notes

1. Silken tofu isn’t suited to this dish as a result of the tofu is simply too watery.

2. There are not any guidelines as to what goes into the combination. You need to use different greens resembling inexperienced onion, mushrooms, hijiki seaweed, and beans.

3. I used vacuum packed boiled Japanese bamboo shoots, however you can even use boiled bamboo shoots in a can.

4. I used gentle soy sauce to keep away from making the color of the cooked Tofu Omelette too darkish. However you need to use regular soy sauce resembling Kikkoman soy sauce when you don’t have gentle soy sauce. Darkish soy isn’t suited.

5. The dimensions of my tamagoyaki pan was 13cm x 18cm/5⅛” x 7 1⁄16″, and the depth was 3.5cm/1⅜”.

6. The world of my tamagoyaki pan was a bit bit too large for the quantity of the combination, leading to a skinny Gisei Tofu. So, I solely used a part of the pan to make the 3cm/1⅛”-thick Gisei Tofu.

In case your pan is smaller, you needn’t shift the combination. Alternatively, you’ll be able to enhance the amount of the elements to fill your pan.

7. You’ll be able to reduce it into smaller or bigger items.

8. I used a 12.5cm/4 5⁄16″ sq. cake pan.

9. I reduce it into 10 items by halving it, then slicing every half perpendicular to the primary reduce into 5 items.

10. You can also make forward 1 day earlier than serving.

11. Vitamin per serving assuming 3 servings.

serving: 203g energy: 216kcal fats: 14g (18%) saturated fats: 2.3g (12%) trans fats: 0.1g polyunsaturated fats: 4.2g monounsaturated fats: 5.9g ldl cholesterol: 124mg (41%) sodium: 428mg (19%) carbohydrates: 8.9g (3%) dietary fibre: 2.5g (9%) sugar: 6g protein: 16g vitamin D: 1mcg (4%) calcium: mg (24%) iron: 3.1mg (17%) potassium: 344mg (7%)