The Astronomer and I celebrated our twelfth wedding anniversary last weekend. In line with tradition, I prepared something delicious inspired by antiquated anniversary gifts. Thus far in our marriage, The Astronomer has been gifted edible interpretations of Paper, Cotton, Leather, Fruit, Wood, Sugar, Wool, Bronze, Tin, and Steel.
Since it is customary to bestow silk upon one’s beloved in recognition of the twelfth anniversary, I prepared silken tofu in a brown sugar ginger syrup. I picked up a few containers of Meiji supreme tofu from Cookbook in Echo Park and made the syrup using water, ginger, and dark brown sugar. While it’s more common to use light brown sugar or palm sugar in this preparation, I loved how the dark brown sugar’s prominent molasses notes harmonized with the ginger’s spice.
This dessert comes together in less than a half hour and can be eaten warm or cold.
- 36 ounces silken tofu (Meiji supreme tofu)
- 1 cup dark brown sugar
- 3/4 cup water
- 1 large knob ginger, peeled and sliced into quarter-sized coins
To make the syrup, place ginger, dark brown sugar, and water, in a small sauce pan and bring to a boil over medium heat — stirring until the sugar fully dissolves. Reduce the heat to a low simmer for 20-30 minutes or until the syrup thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Note: extra time on the stove yields irresistibly candied ginger coins.
To serve, gently scoop the tofu into small bowls. Pour 2-3 tablespoons of ginger syrup over the top and garnish with ginger slices from the syrup.
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