This spicy tofu is a keeper. Tofu is an indispensable recipe in Asian cuisine, but it is also a fine and tasty substitute if you want to eat vegetarian or vegan. Also fond of tofu or spicy food? This spicy tofu should not be missing from your recipe list. Feeling hot hot hot hot!
Fried tofu in spicy sauce
Tofu is hot! Especially now that vegetarian and vegan cuisine is becoming more and more widespread. But did you know that in the Netherlands we are hardly familiar with this Asian delicacy? When we get tofu from the supermarket, it is usually a block or silk tofu, but in Asia you can easily choose from dozens of varieties. As such, it is an indispensable ingredient in Asian cuisine and can be found from simple (street food) snacks to the most upmarket meals. This spicy tofu dish is one for all days, quick to make but also not an everyday dish. Who dares to take the challenge and make and taste this spicy tofu too?
Easy recipe with block of tofu
For this recipe, I use a firm (organic) tofu that you can just buy in the supermarket. An Asian cook will never see you picking or pulling at a block of tofu, you should treat it with respect and cut it into neat slices, blocks, strips or ‘buns’. So that's what we are going to do!
Cut the tofu into neat slices according to tradition.
Gochugaru, gochu wattes?
For this dish, I work with gochugaru, a dried and finely ground mixture of red pepper flakes from Korea. I buy this at the toko. Shopping tips for the toko can be found here, by the way. This spice is known for its mild spiciness and subtle smoky flavour. It is often used in Korean dishes such as kimchi. If you find this too spicy or don't have it at home, use paprika for this recipe. Want to know more about spices? Then check out these spice tips.
Vegan recipe: spicy tofu
Kitchenware
- tea towel
- heavy (cook)booksor something else to squeeze tofu with
- (saucepan)
- cup/tray for sauce mixing
- spatula
Ingredients
- 1 block tofu 250 gr
- 6 dried chillies chopped
- 1 onion chopped
- 2 spring onions chopped
- 1 toe garlic chopped
- 1 el chilli powder (gochugaru) (Prefer less spicy? Replace with paprika).
- 1 fluorescent sesame oil
- 1 el cane sugar (May also be brown or white sugar).
- 1 el light soy sauce
- 4 el wok oil such as sunflower or peanut oil
Instructions
Prepare spicy tofu dish
- Remove the tofu from the package and drain.
- Then roll the block of tofu in a clean tea towel and set aside with some heavy (cooking) books on top to squeeze out more moisture.
- Now prepare the sauce: in a bowl mix soy sauce, sugar, dried chillies, chilli powder and half a cup of water. Stir well until the sugar is dissolved.
- In a small pan, toast the sesame seeds until golden brown: take a small pan without oil, spread the sesame seeds in it and fry it. Shake the pan occasionally to turn the seeds. Once these are golden brown, they are ready.
- After waiting 30 minutes, grab the tofu. Cut it into thick slices.
Fry tofu crisp
- Take a frying pan with a good (PFAS-free) non-stick coating (We use Mayflower pans from GreenPan with a ceramic non-stick coating). Pour enough oil into this so that there is just a layer. Now bring the oil to a high temperature (you will recognise this because slight ripples appear in the oil).
- Now fry the tofu slices until golden brown. Place the slices separately in the pan (if this does not fit, do this step in several batches). Immediately move them around the pan a little so that the tofu does not stick to the bottom. Keep checking the bottoms until they are nicely golden brown, this time may vary depending on the tofu. Now flip the tofu and fry the other side until golden brown in the same time.
- Remove the fried tofu from the pan and set aside, making sure they are free from each other and do not stack.
- Now pour a little oil from the pan, until about 1 tbsp remains (‘normal’ amount).
- Now add the onion to the pan and fry it. After a minute, add the garlic and spring onion (keep a handful of spring onion aside to garnish with later). Fry for half a minute more.
- Now add the sauce and sesame seeds and bring to the boil. Once the sauce is boiling, add the fried tofu and coat well.
- Fry everything for another minute and pour/spoon into a nice bowl. In this, season with the sesame oil.
- Serve out and enjoy!
More recipes from thegreenlist.nl
- Tasty (easy: vegan noodles according to traditional family recipe.
- Looking for a tasty vegan dessert to go with this dish? Then check Our recipe for sticky rice mango.
- Easy and child-friendly: This is how to make the tastiest stir-fry vegetables.
Photo credits: thegreenlist.nl.
