Sweet Chili Tofu
Deep-fried firm tofu tossed in sweet chili sauce with additional chilies and finely chopped ginger thrown in. Sprinkling toasted sesame seeds over the cooked dish not only makes it more visually appealing but also adds texture, aroma and flavor. Sweet chili tofu is simple to make and truly delicious.
Ingredients
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 one-inch knob ginger
- 1 to 2 bird’s eye chilies
- 2 shallots
- 1 small bell pepper any color
- 1 300-gram cake firm tofu
- 2 cups cooking oil for frying
- ½ cup sweet chili sauce I used homemade
- 1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce I used Lee Kum Kee
- salt to to taste
- ground black pepper to taste
- 1 small drizzle sesame seed oil
- 1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
- 1 teaspoon finely sliced scallions
Instructions
- Smash the garlic cloves; shake off and discard the skins. Mince the garlic.
- Peel the ginger and finely chop.
- Thinly slice the bird’s eye chilies.
- Peel the shallots and thinly slice.
- Peel and finely slice the shallots.
- Deseed the bell pepper. Finely chop.
- Cut the tofu into bite-size pieces.
- Heat the oil in a wok or frying pan. When fine smoke float on the surface, slide in the tofu pieces one by one. Cook over high heat until the surface is browned and crisp. Scoop out and drain on a stack of paper towels.
- Pour off the oil leaving only about a tablespoonful.
- Reheat the oil. Saute the shallots, garlic, ginger, chilies and bell pepper with a bit of salt and pepper.
- Pour in the sweet chili sauce and chili garlic sauce. Stir. Taste. Adjust the amount of salt and pepper, if needed.
- Add the fried tofu to the sauce. Stir to coat each piece well. Simmer the tofu in the sauce for a minute.
- Off the heat, drizzle in the sesame seed oil and toss.
- Sprinkle the sweet and spicy tofu with toasted sesame seeds and finely sliced scallions before serving.
Notes
Updated from a recipe originally published in 2006 and modified in 9/18/2017
