Mushroom and Tofu Adobo

Ingredients

• 1 block Extra-firm tofu, cut into thick cubes
• 4 cups Cremini mushrooms, halved
• ½ cup Apple cider vinegar
• ⅜ cup Low-sodium soy sauce
• 8 cloves Garlic, smashed
• 1 tsp Black pepper, coarsely cracked
• 3 Bay leaves
• 1 tbsp Brown sugar
• 2 tbsp Canola oil
• 1 ½ cups Jasmine rice (dry)
• 3 Scallions (green onions), sliced

Method

1. Brown the tofu cubes in the oil on at least two sides, 6 minutes, and set them aside. Brown the mushrooms hard in the same pan, 6 minutes.
2. Add the vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, pepper, bay and 1/2 cup water. Bring to a boil and let it boil uncovered for 3 minutes without stirring — Filipino cooks say stirring early leaves the vinegar raw and harsh, and they are right.
3. Return the tofu, drop to a simmer, and cook 20 minutes uncovered.
4. Lift the tofu and mushrooms out and reduce the sauce hard for 5-8 minutes until it is syrupy and glossy. Stir in the brown sugar.
5. Return everything and turn it in the glaze until coated. Serve over rice with scallions, and spoon extra sauce over the rice — that is where most of it goes anyway.

Notes

✨ The restaurant touch

Adobo is a preservation technique before it is a recipe — the vinegar and salt are why it keeps. It genuinely tastes better on day three.

🧒 For the kids

Salty, sweet, garlicky and served on rice. Cut the pepper to half a teaspoon and it is a very easy sell.

🥡 Leftovers

Keeps 5 days and improves the entire time.

Per serving

Computed from USDA FoodData Central values. A planning tool, not medical advice.