Chilled Tofu
Soy-Pickled Shiitake Mushrooms, Spicy Sesame, Fried Shallots
Chef Zhan Chen of Phoenix Palace | New York
Adapted by StarChefs | january 2025
INGREDIENTS
Soy-Pickled Shiitakes:
2 cups dried shiitake mushrooms
1 cup soy sauce
1 cup Sherry vinegar
½ cup granulated sugar
1 pod black cardamom, cracked
1 pod star anise
Spicy Sesame Paste:
50 grams toasted sesame paste
54 grams sweet soy sauce
25 grams chile oil
6 grams granulated sugar
3 grams sesame oil
14 grams Chinkiang vinegar
4 grams rice vinegar
1 clove garlic
Sesame-Soy Milk Foam:
175 grams sweetened soy milk
To Assemble and Serve:
Yield: 1 serving
½ block soft tofu
Toasted sesame seeds
Fried shallots
Mizuna, soaked in cold water
Thinly sliced scallions, soaked in cold water
Delfina cilantro, soaked in cold water
METHOD
For the Soy-Pickled Shiitakes:
Place mushrooms in a nonreactive container and set aside. In a pot over medium-high heat, bring water to a boil. Cover mushrooms with enough boiling water to submerge and let sit 20 minutes. Strain, reserving mushrooms and liquid separately. In a clean pot over medium heat, add soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, cardamom, star anise, and 2 cups reserved mushroom soaking liquid. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring until sugar has fully dissolved. Place rehydrated mushrooms in a nonreactive container and cover with enough pickling liquid to submerge. Let cool.
For the Spicy Sesame Paste:
In a Vitamix Commercial blender, combine all ingredients on high speed until smooth. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate.
For the Sesame-Soy Milk Foam:
In a Vitamix Commercial blender, combine soy milk and 56 grams Spicy Sesame Paste on high speed 30 seconds. Transfer mixture to an iSi container with 2 charges. Refrigerate.
To Assemble and Serve:
Pipe 1 cup Sesame-Soy Milk Foam into a large mixing bowl. Set aside. Place tofu into a serving bowl. Top with Sesame-Soy Milk Foam. Garnish with sesame seeds, fried shallots, herbs, and a few pieces Soy-Pickled Shiitakes.
