Tokwa’t Manok Recipe

Tokwa’t Manok Recipe Filipino Style or literally translates into ”Tofu and Chicken recipe” is a dish made of fried tofu cubes, chicken, garlic, onions, tomatoes, salted black beans, coated in a sauce made of oyster sauce, soy sauce, vinegar, water, some pepper and sugar. Garnished with celery leaves. Easy, protein filled, and delicious!

Tokwa’t Manok Recipe :

Ingredients

• 300 grams tofu, sliced to cubes
• ½ kilo chicken breast, sliced to chunks
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 pieces tomatoes
• 3 tablespoons salted black beans (tausi), strained
• 1 – 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons vinegar
• 1 cup water
• Black pepper to taste
• Sugar to taste 
• Oil for flying
• Celery leaves for garnish

Steps:

1. In a pan halfway filled with hot oil, fry the tofu cubes till it changes into a lighter brown color. Take these out and set aside.
2. In a new pan, heat a bit of oil and saute the chicken till its oil comes out and it’s lighter in color. Add garlic and onions, saute for a bit before adding the tomatoes. Saute till tomatoes soften.
3. Add in black beans and saute for a few minutes. Pour in oyster sauce, soy sauce, vinegar, and water. Simmer for 5 minutes. Do not stir.
4. After 5 minutes give it a good stir before adding black pepper and sugar to taste. Add in the fried tofu and mix till the tofu is coated in the sauce. Garnish with celery leaves before serving.

How Tofu became popular in the Philippines?

Tofu, while not really thought of as a common Filipino ingredient, is an item that has been introduced in the Philippines since the 10th to 13th century by Chinese merchants. And since then has been used as a delicious alternative to taho (a silky soft tofu dessert doused in a caramelized brown sugar syrup and tapioca pearls). These are also commonly see in many savory dishes as a vegan or vegetarian alternative, or simply added into dishes to add more protein. Its versatile nature and the addition of many other dishes using this plain but interestingly healthy dish has more and more people trying and adding this into their diet.

Make this Tokwa’t Manok Recipe Pinoy Style

Not just an ordinary chicken recipe to make as a ‘pulutan’ or bar snack. These are great even as a lunch, dinner, or side dish. Savory, salty and great for those who want a really filling dish even without the rice.

To make these, fry the tofu cubes in a pan till they’ve turned lightly golden and crisp. Set these aside in the strainer or over a kitchen towel to remove any of the excess oils. Now to cook the chicken, in the same pan not removed of the oil, saute the chicken till it turns to an opaque white color, then add in the aromatics like garlic and onions, sauteed till aromatic before adding in the tomatoes and cooking these till it’s soft and easy to crush. Add in the black beans to help add the saltiness, cooking these for a bit before adding the savory umami ingredients composed of oyster sauce, say sauce, and vinegar for tang, diluted with a bit of water to avoid the chicken from burning. These are not mixed to help evaporate the vinegar better. Simmer till you don’t really smell the vinegar anymore, giving it a taste before adding some pepper, or sugar if it tastes too salty. Add in the fried tofu and mix well till the tofu are all coated with the sauce. Serve banished with celery leaves. These are easy, great, and can be eaten as an appetizer or main dish, or brought to school or office for lunch.

Questions :

• Additional ingredients :

You can add any other ingredients to the mix. Adding leafy vegetables, carrots, potatoes, bell peppers, or even mushrooms.

• Why do you need to rinse the salted black beans (tausi) ?

These are rinsed to remove the excess salt. While not always necessary it can help remove any pungency it might have. Do note that when you do not rinse this you might need to remove or only add a bit of the salt in the recipe.

• What other meats can you use ?
  • You can also use chopped pork to make a “Tokwat Baboy recipe” or “Tofu and Pork”
  • For easy access, use canned tuna or salmon, strain the canned fish before using. Compared to chicken or pork this just needs a few minutes to heat up as these are already cooked.

Other Yummy Tofu Recipes!

• Spicy Eggplant Tofu
• Sardines Sisig with Tofu or Tuna Tofu Sisig
• Teriyaki Tofu Balls
• Stir Fry Vegetables with Tofu
• Buffalo Tofu
• Stir Fry Tofu and Kangkong (water spinach)
• Tofu Steak

Tokwa’t Manok Resipi: (Tagalog version)

Mga Sangkap :

• 300 gramo tokwa, hiniwa ng pa-parisukat
• ½ kilo dibdib ng manok, hiniwa ng maliliit
• 5 butil ng bawang, tinadtad
• 1 sibuyas, tinadtad
• 2 piraso, kamatis
• 3 kutsarang taus, hinugasan at salain
• 1 – 2 kutsarang oyster sauce
• 2 kutsarang soy sauce
• 3 kutsarang suka
• 1 tasa tubig
• Paminta panlasa
• Asukal panlasa
• Mantika pang prito
• Kinchay pang dekorasyon

Paano Lutuin :

1. Sa kawali na pinuno ng kalahati ng mantika, iprito ang mga tokwa hanggang mag kayumanggi ng kulay. Tanggalin at itabi.
2. Sa bagong kawali. Maginit ng mantika at lutuin ang mga manok hanggang magkatas ang mantika nito o hanggang mag kulay puti ito. Haluan ng bawang at sibuyas, lutuin ng konti bago ipasok ang mga kamatis. Lutuin hanggang lumambot ang mga kamatis.
3. Haluan ng tausi at lutuin ng ilang minuto. Buhusan ng oyster sauce, soy sauce, suka, at tubig. Pakuluan ng 5 minuto. Wag haluin.
4. Pagkatapos ng 5 minuto, haluin ito ng paminta at asukal. Ilagay ang prinitong tokwa at haluin hanggang matakpan ang mga ito ng sarsa. Dekorasyonan ng kinchay bago ihanda.