15 minutes Garlic Chili Tofu is a fast and easy weeknight dinner that is Vegan and gluten-free. Not a fan of tofu? Try this, then tell us what you think. I bet you’ll have a change of heart.
How much I love tofu can be guessed from the number of tofu recipes on my blog which is still quite new. I can never have enough of it.
The Tofu is stir-fried in peanut oil infused with garlic. It’s topped with a flavorful hot & spicy sauce made with chili garlic sauce, brown sugar, and soy sauce. The whole meal literally takes 15 minutes to make, and once it’s done you have a vegan, gluten-free dinner that is also budget-friendly.
Choose extra-firm tofu, which holds shape and so easy to manage
What type of tofu to use:
When choosing tofu, always try to go with organic, non-GMO. Soybean crops are often treated heavily with glyphosates (toxic herbicides like Round-Up) and these will end up in the final product, which causes inflammation in the body.
There are many types of tofu. Regular raw tofu, like you see here,Silken Tofu in a vacuum-sealed carton (that is not refrigerated), and prepared tofu-like tofu cutlets, smoked tofu or seasoned tofu.
Use regular raw tofu, extra-firm, or regular raw tofu that has been made from sprouted soybeans (above).
Demystifying Tofu Cooking
Since the time I have been making tofu I keep experimenting with different cooking methods. My favorite method is pan frying with soya sauce and cornstarch.You could experiment with skipping the cornstarch all together. Guess what? The tofu was still pleasantly crispy and had a wonderful texture and mouthfeel. Skipping that step is definitely faster and easier.
For this recipe start with pan frying the tofu with the marinade until golden brown, about 5 -10 minutes on each side. Don’t fiddle with it. When the tofu creates a crispy crust, it will naturally release itself from the pan.Cast Iron skillet works best for this.
Some recipes like soups require silken tofu which can be straight used from the packaging, while yellow Thai curry would require medium tofu without any marinate and cooking. So depending on the recipe, the tofu should be treated to yield the best results.
Chilli Garlic Tofu
15-Minute Garlic Chili Tofu is a fast and easy weeknight dinner that is Vegan and gluten-free. Not a fan of tofu? Try this, then tell us what you think. I bet you’ll have a change of heart.
- 1 Kg extra firm tofu
- 1 cup onion cuts in cubes
- 1 cup coloured bell pepper cut into cubes
- 2 spring onion chopped (white and green separated)
- 2 tablespoon chopped garlic
- 1-2 Thai red chillies (as per taste)
- 2 tablespoons peanut oil
- Salt if needed
Sauce
- ¼ cup oyster sauce (vegetarian)
- 2 tbsp all-purpose soya sauce (with salt (see notes))
- 2 tablespoon dark soya sauce
- 2 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon of rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon chilli garlic sauce/Sriracha (good brand(or to taste))
- 1/2 cup of water/stock (add more if you wish(see notes))
- ½ teaspoon white pepper powder
Marinade for tofu
- 2-3 tablespoons of soya sauce
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
- 1-2 teaspoons of cornflour
- Heat the oven to 200-degree centigrade.
- Chop the tofu in 2’’ square and pour the marinade of soy sauce and sugar and bake for 30 minutes on a cookie sheet or over a cast-iron skillet for 20 minutes at low heat.
- In a heated skillet add peanut oil. Keeping the heat high add the add chopped onions.bell pepper, spring onion whites, Thai chillies and give it a good stir.
- Add tofu and mix to coat everything. Add the sauce and the cornflour slurry and mix everything together at high heat.
- Serve topped with spring onion along with rice and quinoa.
Top Tip
- Adjust the quantity of water to serve as a meal or as a side to the main meal.
- The tofu could also be air fried with the marinade to make it crispy.
- Jalapeno and any large chilli can be used in place of Thai red chillies to make it less spicy.
- In case you don’t have tofu, paneer, cubed baked potatoes can also be used.
- Add chillies as per taste.
- Use bullion cubes if veg stock is not available.
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