Crispy Tofu with Quick Buchu Kimchi and Rice

For our Crispy Tofu with Quick Buchu Kimchi and Rice, we wanted to create an Asian-inspired dish that also honoured our South African roots (literally), so we paired Korean-inspired kimchi with a few sprigs of proudly South African buchu plant and boy do we love how these flavours work together! 

Crispy Tofu with Quick Buchu Kimchi and Rice

SERVES 4 / HANDS-ON TIME 20 min / TOTAL TIME  2 hours 25 min

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE QUICK BUCHU KIMCHI

• 1 Chinese cabbage, roughly chopped
• 4 sprigs fresh buchu leaves, washed and pounded
• 1 carrot, peeled and cut into ribbons 
• 1 ½ Tbsp salt
• 3 spring onions, chopped into 5cm pieces 
• ½ onion, grated
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2cm ginger piece, peeled and grated
• ¼ cup apple juice 
• 1 Tbsp fish sauce
• ½ cup korean chilli powder
• 4 Tbsp miso paste
• 2 Tbsp oil

FOR THE CRISPY TOFU

• 500g tofu 
• ¼ cup soy sauce
• ⅓ cup cornflour
• 1 ½ tsp salt
• 1 tsp onion powder 
• 1 tbsp garlic powder
• 5 Tbsp oil

TO SERVE

• 4 cups cooked jasmine rice

METHOD

For the buchu kimchi

PLACE chopped cabbage, buchu and carrots into a colander and rinse under cold water. Set aside to drain off the excess water.

IN a larger bowl, add the vegetables and sprinkle over the salt. Make sure to toss well.

COVER and allow to sit for 2 hours, tossing every hour. Rinse the salt off the vegetables and place in a large bowl. Add the spring onion and the rest of the ingredients and mix until combined. 

For the fried tofu

CUT the tofu block into 2cm cubes and transfer to a bowl. Toss in soy sauce and allow to stand for 10 minutes.

IN a separate bowl, combine corn flour and seasoning. Add the tofu cubes and toss until completely coated, shaking off the excess cornflour.

HEAT some of the oil in a pan over medium high heat. Once hot, add half of the tofu in a single layer and cook for 3 minutes on each side until golden. Remove from the heat and drain on a paper towel. Repeat with the remaining tofu.

To serve

SPOON rice onto a plate then top with kimchi and crispy tofu.

Tip from the team: For a more fermented flavour, allow you kimchi to sit for an additional 72 hours. It is important to check on your kimchi once a day. Agitate the surface using a spoon or a chopstick to release the air bubbles. If needed, pour in some additional brine to keep all the vegetables submerged.

Print Recipe

Crispy Tofu with Quick Buchu Kimchi and Rice

Dinner

Serves: 4

Prep Time: 20 minutes Total Time: 2 hours 25 minutes

Ingredients

• For the quick buchu kimchi
• 1 Chinese cabbage, roughly chopped
• 4 sprigs fresh buchu leaves, washed and pounded
• 1 carrot, peeled and cut into ribbons
• 1 ½ tbsp salt
• 3 spring onions, chopped into 5cm pieces
• ½ onion, grated
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2cm ginger piece, peeled and grated
• ¼ cup apple juice
• 1 Tbsp fish sauce
• ½ cup korean chilli powder
• 4 Tbsp miso paste
• 2 Tbsp oil
• For the fried tofu
• 500g tofu
• ¼ cup soy sauce
• ⅓ cup cornflour
• 1 ½ tsp salt
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 Tbsp garlic powder
• 5 Tbsp oil
• To serve
• 4 cups cooked jasmine rice

Instructions

For the buchu kimchi

1

Place chopped cabbage, buchu and carrots into a colander and rinse under cold water. Set aside to drain off the excess water.

2

In a larger bowl, add the vegetables and sprinkle over the salt. Make sure to toss well.

3

Cover and allow to sit for 2 hours, tossing every hour. Rinse the salt off the vegetables and place in a large bowl. Add the spring onion and the rest of the ingredients and mix until combined.

For the fried tofu,

4

Cut the tofu block into 2cm cubes and transfer to a bowl. Toss in soy sauce and allow to stand for 10 minutes.

5

In a separate bowl, combine corn flour and seasoning. Add the tofu cubes and toss until completely coated, shaking off the excess cornflour.

6

Heat some of the oil in a pan over medium high heat. Once hot, add half of the tofu in a single layer and cook for 3 minutes on each side until golden. Remove from the heat and drain on a paper towel. Repeat with the remaining tofu.

To serve

7

Spoon rice onto a plate then top with kimchi and crispy tofu.

Notes

For a more fermented flavour, allow you kimchi to sit for an additional 72 hours.it is important to check on your kimchi once a day. Agitate the surface using a spoon or a chopstick to release the air bubbles. If needed, pour in some additional brine to keep all the vegetables submerged.

Did you make this recipe? Tag us on Instagram @foodandhomesa!

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Sjaan Van der Ploeg

Sjaan is a food stylist and recipe developer for Food & Home. She aims to create mouth-watering images and exciting How To videos on our Instagram, hoping to inspire people to try new recipes and have fun in the kitchen.