Bright & Spicy Tofu

Name: Bright & Spicy Tofu
Prep time: 1 h 30 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 1 h 45 min
Cuisine: Asian
Ingredients: 1 block tofu, soft or firm; 4 cloves garlic, minced or grated; 2 green onions, minced; 1 shallot, diced; 1/2 inch ginger, grated; 1/2 jalapeño, diced with seeds removed; 1 inch orange peel, twisted; 2 tbsp canola oil, sub any neutral oil; 2 tbsp soy sauce, sub coconut aminos or tamari; 2 tbsp honey, sub maple syrup; 1 tbsp rice vinegar; 1 tbsp mirin, optional; 1 tbsp sriracha; 1 tsp gochugaru; 1 tsp red pepper flakes, optional; 1 tsp msg, optional; 1 tsp sesame seeds

8 steps

Prep:1h 30minCook:15min

The only tofu recipe you’ll ever need. This meal is veg and vegan friendly (substitute honey for maple syrup if you prefer!) and is super quick to make. The sauce is versatile to customize or use for other dishes, as well. Soft, firm, or extra firm tofu can be used for this recipe — whatever you prefer! The more firm the tofu, the easier to work with while frying. I’ve also made this with silken tofu, but you must accept that your block will fall apart and you will have to mix everything together in the pot as opposed to serving it as a cute block.

Updated at: Thu, 17 Aug 2023 11:30:08 GMT

Nutrition balance score

Good

Glycemic Index

Low

Glycemic Load

Low

Nutrition per serving

Calories186.4 kcal (9%)

Total Fat11.6 g (17%)

Carbs14.9 g (6%)

Sugars10.8 g (12%)

Protein8.7 g (17%)

Sodium560.2 mg (28%)

Fiber1.2 g (4%)

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Ingredients

4 servings

1 blocktofu

4 clovesgarlic

0.5 inchginger

0.5jalapeño

diced with seeds removed

1 inchorange peel

twisted

2 Tbspcanola oil

sub any neutral oil

2 Tbspsoy sauce

sub coconut aminos or tamari

2 Tbsphoney

sub maple syrup

1 Tbsprice vinegar

1 Tbspmirin

optional

1 Tbspsriracha

1 tspgochugaru

1 tspred pepper flakes

optional

1 tspmsg

optional

1 tspsesame seeds

Instructions

Step 1

Prepare all ingredients (except tofu) and combine in jar. Shake to mix and then refrigerate to let marinate for at least an hour. Can be kept overnight! The flavors are better the longer they have to meet each other.

Step 2

When your sauce/marinade is ready to use, start to prepare the tofu.

Step 3

Drain and pat the block of tofu dry. Get it really dry, but make sure to keep the block intact.

Step 4

Cut a square pattern into the tofu — I like to make about 1/2” squares. Cut only about 3/4 through the block to make sure it stays intact.

Step 5

Heat a medium sized non-stick pan on medium heat with a small amount of neutral oil. Place the tofu in the pan and fry on each side for ~5 min until golden brown.

Step 6

Transfer the tofu to a plate, cut side up. Again, be careful to make sure it doesn’t fall apart (I like to slide it!)

Step 7

Add the sauce to the same pan and let cook on medium heat for 5 minutes, or until it has thickened and reduced slightly. It should be aromatic and simmering, but not boiling. The goal is to warm everything up and take off some heat from the raw veggies, but not to actually cook them.

Step 8

Pour the sauce over your tofu, making sure it gets into all of the crevices. Serve immediately and enjoy!