Chili tofu

Chili tofu

This recipe is inspired by one of my favourite Indo-Chinese dishes, chili paneer, where the fresh Indian cheese is tossed in a flavorful spicy sauce made with soy sauce, ketchup, chili sauce, vinegar. My version substitutes tofu for the paneer (though you could use paneer in this recipe if you prefer), and ups the vegetables with the addition of broccoli.

Dark soy sauce imparts a rich, dark stickiness to the dish but if you don’t have it, just substitute with regular soy sauce or tamari. Oyster sauce (or vegetarian oyster sauce like I use), hoisin or kecap manis could also be substitutes for the dark soy sauce.

Serves 4

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Ingredients

Tofu

• ½ cup cornstarch (cornflour)
• sea salt and black pepper
• 454g (16 ounces) extra firm tofu, drained and cut into 1-inch cubes
• neutral oil

Sauce

• 4 teaspoons tamari or soy sauce
• 4 teaspoons dark soy sauce (see headnote)
• ¼ cup ketchup (tomato sauce)
• 4 teaspoons rice vinegar
• 3 teaspoons sriracha or other chili sauce
• 3 teaspoons white sugar
• 3 teaspoons cornstarch (cornflour)

Stir-fry

• neutral oil

• 2.5cm (1-inch) piece ginger, peeled and finely chopped

• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

• 1 small jalapenos (or long green chili), thinly sliced (remove seeds if you want less heat)

• 1 large red capsicum (bell pepper), core removed and cut into 1-inch pieces

• 1 head (400g / 14 ounces) broccoli, trimmed and cut into small florets

• 1 red onion, halved and sliced

• rice, to serve

1. Scatter the cornstarch onto a large plate or tray, season with 1 teaspoon of salt and a big pinch of black pepper and toss to combine. Add the tofu and toss until coated on all sides.

2. Prepare a tray or plate with paper towels.

3. Place a large skillet on medium high heat, add 2-3 tablespoons of oil, enough to cover the base of the pan and heat until the oil is hot, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the tofu and pan fry on each side until crispy about 1 - 2 minutes. Once all sides are golden, remove the tofu from the pan and transfer them to the prepared paper towel lined plate to absorb any excess oil. 

4. In a medium bowl, add the soy sauce, ketchup (tomato sauce), rice vinegar, sriracha and sugar and stir to combine. Add the cornstarch and 1/4 cup of water and whisk until the cornstarch is completely mixed in and it’s lump free.

5. Place the pan back onto medium high heat. Add 1- 2 tablespoons of oil to the pan and add the ginger, garlic, and jalapeño and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the capsicum (bell pepper), broccoli and onion, season with 1 teaspoon of salt and stir fry just until the vegetables are crisp tender (or to your liking), about 4-6 minutes. Add the sauce and toss briefly, about 20-30 seconds, until it has thickened up. Add the tofu and toss until it is coated in the sauce. Remove from heat immediately.

6. Top with scallions and eat with rice.