Quick Beef, Tofu
Wakame Soup
This comforting, quick-simmered soup pairs tender marinated beef slices with silky tofu and savory wakame. Ready in under 30 minutes, it is a light yet deeply flavorful dish perfect for busy evenings.
Beef and wakame soup is a beloved home-style comfort dish across East Asia. The combination of nutrient-rich seaweed and soft tofu provides a delicate foundation for the savory, tenderized beef slices. By briefly sautéing the aromatics and wakame before adding boiling water, the broth develops a richer, more complex flavor profile without the need for hours of simmering.
Ingredients
- 15 g dried wakame seaweed
- 200 g sliced beef
- 1 tbsp cooking wine
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- 1 tbsp cooking oil
- 2 stalks green onions
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 block soft tofu
- 1 liter boiling water
- to taste salt
- to taste white pepper powder
Instructions
- 1Soak the wakame
Place the dried wakame into a bowl and pour in warm water. Let the seaweed soak until it is fully rehydrated and softened.
Tip: Using warm water speeds up the rehydration process, which usually takes only a few minutes. - 2Marinate the beef
Place the sliced beef into a bowl and add the cooking wine, light soy sauce, oyster sauce, pepper powder, and starch. Mix everything thoroughly so the meat is evenly coated, then spray a thin layer of cooking oil over the surface to lock in the moisture. Allow the beef to marinate for 20 minutes to tenderize and absorb the flavors.
Tip: Adding a layer of cooking oil on top after mixing helps seal the meat and prevents it from drying out while marinating. - 3Sauté the aromatics
Heat a small amount of oil in a pot over medium heat. Add the chopped green onions and minced garlic, and stir-fry until they become highly fragrant.
Tip: Keep the ingredients moving continuously so the minced garlic does not burn and become bitter. - 4Stir-fry the wakame
Once the aromatics are fragrant, add the rehydrated and drained wakame to the pot. Stir-fry everything together briefly to coat the seaweed in the flavorful oil.
Tip: Sautéing the wakame slightly before boiling helps to release its flavor and removes any overly fishy aroma. - 5Pour in boiling water
Carefully pour boiling water directly into the pot over the stir-fried wakame. Using boiling water helps rapidly extract the flavors and keeps the cooking temperature consistent.
Tip: Make sure to add enough water to create a generous broth for the soup. - 6Add the tofu
Gently slide the sliced tofu into the bubbling wakame broth. Allow it to simmer softly to heat through without breaking apart the delicate cubes.
Tip: Soft or silken tofu works beautifully in this soup, providing a tender contrast to the slightly chewy wakame. - 7Season the broth
Once the wakame and tofu are actively simmering in the pot, season the soup by adding salt and pepper powder to taste. Stir the soup gently to dissolve the seasonings and distribute them evenly without breaking apart the soft tofu cubes.
Tip: Add the pepper powder while the soup is actively boiling to help disperse it evenly throughout the broth and release its aroma. - 8Cook the beef
Reduce the heat to low to prevent the beef from toughening, then carefully slide the marinated raw beef slices into the hot soup. Use a spoon to gently separate the slices so they cook evenly in the gentle heat until they just change color.
Tip: Always lower the heat before adding the beef. Boiling the meat too vigorously will make it tough and can cloud the clear soup.
