Best Fried Tofu With Spicy Tomato Sauce Recipes

VIETNAMESE TOFU WITH TOMATO SAUCE (ĐậU SốT Cà CHUA)

Steps:

• Cut the tofu blocks in half lengthwise (so they're thinner and remove more moisture), then again into smaller pieces to help remove more moisture.
• Press out moisture from the tofu: the tofu on a plate, with a kitchen towel or paper towels above and below the tofu. Cover with another plate to slightly weigh it down to remove moisture for 20-30 minutes. This will help prevent the oil from splattering during frying. Here's how it looks after pressing.
• Fry the tofu. Heat a pot of oil to 300 F, then add 4-6 pieces of tofu at a time to fry until golden brown, making sure to move them around a bit right after adding so they don't stick. It should only be a few minutes each. Remove the fried ones to plate with paper towel to drain excess oil, and continue frying the rest until they're all fried.
• Slice the tomatoes into bite sized pieces, about 4-8 pieces per tomato. It will help them cook quicker too.
• In a new medium sized pot, add all the sauce ingredients. Bring to a boil on high heat, then lower to simmer at 30% heat for about 10 minutes, or until tomatoes are cooked through and the liquid reaches your desired concentration.
• Taste the sauce at this point. See if it needs any more tomato paste, fish sauce, salt or sugar. If the tomatoes aren't super flavorful or ripe to start, I like to add more tomato paste, sugar, and maybe some salt at this point.
• Add the tofu to the pot, toss to combine.
• Keep mixing for a few minutes so the tofu warms up and soaks up some of the sauce. Retaste and adjust as necessary then top with sliced scallions and serve!

STIR-FRIED TOFU AND PEPPERS

Steps:

• Optional step for firmer tofu: Blot the tofu dry, wrap in a clean kitchen towel and place a cutting board on top. Let sit for about 15 minutes. Whether weighted or not, slice the tofu about 1/2 inch thick into 1- x 2-inch dominoes.
• Mix together 1 tablespoon of the soy sauce, 1 teaspoon of the brown sugar and 1 tablespoon of the oil in a medium bowl. Toss with the tofu, and stir to make sure all of the pieces are coated. Let sit for five to 10 minutes while you prepare the other ingredients.
• In a small bowl, stir together the remaining soy sauce and sugar, hoisin sauce and sesame oil. Set aside.
• Heat a large nonstick skillet or wok over high heat until a drop of water evaporates on contact. Add the oil, turn the heat to medium-high and add the peppers. Stir-fry for a couple of minutes, until the peppers begin to soften, and add the garlic and ginger. Stir-fry for 20 seconds, until the garlic and ginger begin to smell fragrant, and add the tofu, dried red pepper flakes and green onions. Stir-fry two minutes, give the sauce a stir and add to the pan. Cover and cook for three minutes. Remove the lid, stir the ingredients in the pan, and taste and adjust seasonings. Serve with rice or noodles.

SUPER SIMPLE SPICY FRIED TOFU

Steps:

• Drain tofu, rinse, and pat dry. Cut into squares.
• Heat sesame oil in a wok over medium heat. Add onion and cook for 2 minutes. Add red pepper and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Stir in tofu and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in brown sugar, soy sauce, and chili-garlic sauce. Mix together and cook for 3 minutes. Adjust seasoning to taste. Sprinkle with green onions before serving.

WARM TOFU WITH SPICY GARLIC SAUCE

Steps:

• Carefully rinse tofu, then cover with cold water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, then keep warm, covered, over very low heat.
• Meanwhile, mince and mash garlic to a paste with a pinch of salt. Stir together with remaining ingredients (except tofu).
• Just before serving, carefully lift tofu from saucepan with a large spatula and drain on paper towels. Gently pat dry, then transfer to a small plate. Spoon some sauce over tofu and serve warm. Serve remaining sauce on the side.