Okinawa Tofu and Vegetables

My mom has been cooking Okinawa Tofu and Vegetables my whole life. When I was growing up, it was called okazu, which means a side dish to be served with gohan. Better known as white sticky rice. 

This dish has been in my family for generations!

I’ve always been fascinated with family history and have felt a deep connection to my heritage for as long as I can remember. When I was asked in 2017 and 2018 to participate at Rootstech, the largest family history conference in the world, I was honored to be a contributor.

I am by no means a genealogist, but have spent a considerable amount of time researching my family history and connecting names to my family genealogical records online!

As a young girl, I remember a genealogy sheet that was typed up and Mod Poged to a piece of wood in my mom and dad’s home. It started with my name, then my parents, my grandparents, all the way back to my 4th great grandparents on one chart.

I was always fascinated with that chart, proudly displayed in my parent’s home and wanted to know more about our family history.

Photo of my great great grandfather Joseph Black, his wife Caroline Peterson Thompson, and their children taken in Utah in 1885. My Great Grandfather, Peter Thompson Black is standing, top row, far right.

In celebration of my Japanese heritage, I created this semi-traditional Okinawa Tofu and Vegetables side dish that is partly my mom’s recipe for okazu/tofu in one simple and tasty offering.

My kids have eaten this for years and love it. Serve it alongside rice and ABK’s Sweet and Spicy Asian Chicken Skewers for a complete meal.

Before you turn your nose up at tofu, consider the health benefits: Each serving has 9 grams of protein and no cholesterol.  Okinawan’s (my people) are the largest consumers of tofu in the world.

The Okinawan people are also among the longest living and healthiest people in the world.  They have the lowest heart disease, breast, prostate, and colon cancer and dementia rates according to an article in Time magazine.

My mom is 82 years old and looks 10 years younger than her age. Side note: Mom eats tofu at least once a week…

My mom (top center)and her family in Okinawa , about 1945

If you haven’t tried cooking tofu, give this simple and delicious recipe a try. I think you’ll love Okinawa Tofu and Vegetables, and you’ll be expanding your culinary horizons!

Before you cook the tofu, turn your rice cooker and grill on, chop all veggies, cook meat and stir fry the tofu while the meat is cooking.

In less than 30 minutes dinner is served. I’d love to know how you connect to your heritage through cooking!

Okinawa Tofu and Vegetables

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Author: Si Foster

Ingredients 

• 1 cup sliced carrots
• 2 cups sliced onion, white or yellow
• 1- 12-14 oz package firm tofu, packed in water, drained and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
• 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon butter, optional but gives the dish good flavor
• salt and fresh ground pepper
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1-2 bunch of green onions, white and green parts, sliced in 1″ pieces, on diagonal
• sesame seeds for garnish, optional

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Instructions

• Prepare all vegetables and tofu by washing, slicing and setting aside.
• Place a medium to large size sauté or fry pan over medium to medium-high heat.
• Add olive oil and butter to pan. Heat until butter is melted.
• Carefully add carrots and sliced yellow or white onion to pan. Stir fry adding salt and pepper for about 3-4 minutes just until vegetables begin to soften. Remove veggies from pan and set aside.
• Add cut up tofu to pan and gently toss once or twice while cooking for about 3-4 minutes total.
• Sprinkle soy sauce around and over tofu and add vegetables back to pan heat for another minute, do not toss at this point, or the tofu will fall apart. Turn off heat.
• Add sliced green onions to dish, sprinkle with sesame seeds (optional) and serve immediately with gohan (rice) and other sides if desired.