Pro Tips
**Chef's Tips & Troubleshooting:**
- Make sure the pan and oil are hot before adding ingredients for the best sear.
- Fry in batches to avoid overcrowding — lowering the temperature makes food greasy.
- Press tofu between paper towels with a heavy object for 15 minutes to remove excess water before cooking.
- Brown the pork in batches so each piece gets direct contact with the hot pan surface.
Cooking Tips
Score the fat cap in a crosshatch pattern before cooking — this helps render the fat evenly and creates a crisper texture. Let pork rest for 5–10 minutes after cooking before slicing. This redistributes juices so every bite stays moist.
Ingredient Substitutions
Pork alternatives: Chicken thighs work well in most pork recipes (they stay moist like pork does). For a leaner option, use turkey breast or firm tofu. Short on time? A pressure cooker (Instant Pot) can reduce cooking time by roughly half for most braised and stewed Filipino dishes. Reduce liquid slightly since less evaporates.
Storage & Reheating
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days. The flavors often deepen overnight, making leftovers even more delicious. Reheat on the stovetop over medium-low heat, adding a splash of water or broth if the sauce has thickened during storage. Microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring between each.
Garlic Tokwa and Kangkong in Oyster Sauce
Crispy pan-fried extra-firm tofu is stir-fried with fresh water spinach in a savory oyster sauce with lots of crushed garlic until the greens wilt and the tofu is coated in a rich, glossy, umami-packed glaze.
Instructions
- Crush and chop the garlic. Put it on a small pan and then add ½ cup cooking oil. Turn on the heat and adjust it to medium setting. Once the oil starts to bubble, adjust the heat to the lowest setting. Continue cooking the garlic while stirring until it turns golden brown in color.
- Separate the garlic from the garlic oil using a kitchen sieve. Set aside.
- Heat the remaining 1 cup of oil on a deep small cooking pot. Add the garlic oil (leaving around 3 tablespoons for later). Fry the tofu until it turns golden brown. Remove the tofu from the pot and let it cool down before dicing it. Set aside.
- Mix together all the sauce ingredients in a bowl. Stir until well blended. Set aside.
- Heat the remaining 3 tablespoons of garlic oil in a clean pan. Sauté the onions until it softens.
- Add the fried tofu and continue to saute for 30 seconds.
- Add in the chopped water spinach (kangkong). Saute for 1 minute.
- Pour the sauce mixture into the pot. Stir and cook until the sauce thickens.
- Add half of the browned garlic and season with salt and ground black pepper as needed.
- Transfer to a serving plate. Top with the remaining garlic. Serve with white rice.
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Pro Tips & Troubleshooting
- Make sure the pan and oil are hot before adding ingredients for the best sear.
- Fry in batches to avoid overcrowding — lowering the temperature makes food greasy.
- Press tofu between paper towels with a heavy object for 15 minutes to remove excess water before cooking.
- Brown the pork in batches so each piece gets direct contact with the hot pan surface.
Cooking Tips
Let pork rest for 5–10 minutes after cooking before slicing. This redistributes juices so every bite stays moist.
Substitutions
Short on time? A pressure cooker (Instant Pot) can reduce cooking time by roughly half for most braised and stewed Filipino dishes. Reduce liquid slightly since less evaporates.
Storage & Reheating
Reheat on the stovetop over medium-low heat, adding a splash of water or broth if the sauce has thickened during storage. Microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring between each.
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