Rutabagas are a robust winter standby that lend themselves well to Asian dishes, where they can act as a sweeter stand-in for the turnips often used in Chinese, Japanese, and Korean cooking. I use chicken stock in this recipe because its richness brings all of the subtle flavors of the dish alive. The star anise lends this soup a fragrant, smoky sweetness.

　　

Ingredients

serves 4

　　4 scallions, green and white parts separated

　　5 tablespoons olive oil

　　2 cloves garlic, minced

　　3 cups rutabaga, peeled and diced

　　1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper

　　2 star anise

　　3 tablespoons soy sauce

　　4 cups chicken stock

　　Salt

　　16 ounces extra firm tofu, drained and diced

　　2 cups shiitake mushrooms, loosely packed and diced

　　1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced

　　Sesame oil for serving

　　Chile flakes for serving

　　Rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar for serving

　　Fresh cilantro leaves for serving

　　

Step 1

Thinly slice the scallion greens and set them aside. Mince the scallion whites.

　　

Step 2

Heat a soup pot over medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Add the scallion whites and garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Add the rutabaga, white pepper, star anise, and 2 tablespoons of the soy sauce and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Pour in the stock and bring to a boil. Decrease the heat and simmer, covered, until the rutabaga is tender, about 20 minutes. Taste and season with salt.

　　

Step 3

Heat a sauté pan over medium heat and add the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the tofu and spread it evenly across the pan. Fry for 2 minutes, undisturbed. Season with salt. Flip the tofu and cook for 1 minute more. Add the shiitakes, ginger, and the remaining tablespoon of soy sauce and cook for 2 minutes, then remove from the heat.

　　

Step 4

To serve, ladle into bowls and add 1/2 cup of the tofu mixture to each bowl. Garnish with a few drops of sesame oil, chile flakes to taste, a dash of vinegar, and a generous amount of the scallion greens and cilantro leaves.

　　Lucid Food