Sweet And Spicy Tofu

Tofu is a great source of lean protein. It is used in numerous Asian dishes and has also gained much popularity all over the world. Tofu is very versatile and can be cooked in so many different ways. In this recipe, the tofu is coated with cornstarch and fried until crunchy.

What makes this dish really delicious is the sauce. It has a perfect balance of sweet, salty, sour, and spicy flavors. This recipe also uses ingredients which are either easy to find or are readily available at home. So if you want a healthy yet, a budget-friendly dish, make this sweet and spicy tofu. Serve it as an appetizer or with hot steaming rice.

Ingredients:

• 300 grams of extra firm tofu
• 1 cup of cornstarch
• ½ cup of vegetable oil
• 3 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1 tbsp hot pepper flakes
• 1 thumb size ginger, minced
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp water
• 1 tsp vinegar
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• ¼ tsp ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp chopped spring onions
• 1 tsp sesame seeds

Instructions:

This recipe takes about 40 minutes to make. Serves 2.

Using a paper towel, pat the tofu dry.
Cut the tofu into 1/2-inch thick cubes.
Coat tofu cubes with cornstarch.
Heat oil in a frying pan over medium heat.
Fry tofu cubes in batches until they turn light brown in color.
Place fried tofu cubes on a plate lined with paper towel to drain excess oil.
Set aside while you prepare the sauce.
To make the sauce, put sugar, hot pepper flakes, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, water, vinegar, sesame oil, and ground black pepper in a saucepan.
Simmer over medium-low heat just until the sauce boils.
Turn off heat.
Transfer fried tofu cubes to a serving dish.
Pour sauce directly over the fried tofu cubes.
Sprinkle spring onions and sesame seeds on top.

Ideas And Tips:

• You may use 3 tsp honey to replace sugar.

• Coating each tofu cube with cornstarch would be time-consuming. An easier way is to put the cornstarch in a zip-lock bag, then the tofu cubes. Seal the bag and shake well to make sure each piece is coated! Don’t forget to pat any excess cornstarch from the tofu cubes before frying.

• You can also put the fried tofu cubes directly into the sauce once it’s done. Mix well to make sure each tofu cube is coated with the sauce.

images – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O4eE6LF9pYM