Wonderful spicy dish. I use Serrano peppers. Not super hot, either.
- 1/4 cup water
- salt and pepper
- 1 small onion finely chopped
- extra virgin olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves chopped
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 pack of firm tofu cubed
- 1 tbsp corn meal
- 1 tbsp lemongrass finely grated
- 1 fiery chilli chopped
- 1 1/2 tbsp shoyu sauce
- 1 pack truvia
- 1/2 tsp agave
- pinch of chilli powder
- chopped spring onion
- Carbohydrate 5.69794125937232 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 3.81268067699664 g
- Fiber 0.786056458436482 g
- Protein 1.11285879149794 g
- Saturated Fat 0.543609333320371 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (60g)
- Sodium 421.549209722709 mg
- Sugar 4.91188480093584 g
- Trans Fat 0.151398010406874 g
- Calories 60 calories
Step-by-step
- Pat dry tofu before you cube to remove excess water and coat them lightly with corn meal. Add pinch of salt and generous helpings of freshly cracked black and white pepper. Heat oil in a non stick frying pan over medium to high heat, and gently shallow fry them until golden. This should take around 5 mins. Remove cooked tofu cubes and set aside.
- Using the same pan, heat a bit more oil and gently sauté the chopped onion, garlic, lemongrass and chilli until onions are softened. Add half the amount of chillies at the beginning to introduce some chilli flavour into the oil and add the other half at the end of the cooking process to keep the freshness. Once onions are softened, add tofu, shoyu, Truvia and chilli powder along with water. Bring to boil and simmer on low heat until tofu has soaked up all the juices. This simmering process allows tofu to take on the flavors of the sauce.
- Stir in the agave and drizzle sesame oil and seeds. Sprinkle finely chopped spring onions and dig in.
Lemongrass performs the heaviest aromatic lifting in this formulation, transforming basic pantry items into a deeply fragrant base through the release of essential oils when grated against the grain. Fresh aromatics like lemongrass and garlic thrive when exposed to moderate heat alongside finely chopped onions, which sweat down to create a translucent matrix that carries capsaicin evenly across the pan. Utilizing fresh roots and alliums efficiently avoids waste while building complex aromatic layers that dried powders alone cannot replicate. Understanding how these botanicals release their volatile compounds into oil provides a reliable framework for extracting maximum flavor from inexpensive ingredients without requiring specialty shopping trips.
Achieving structural integrity in plant-based protein relies entirely on moisture management, which prevents the exterior coating from turning into a soggy paste during frying. Patting the block completely dry before cubing removes surface water that would otherwise lower the pan temperature and cause sticking on the metal surface. Tossing the dry pieces in corn meal creates a thin starch barrier that absorbs residual surface dampness and crisps up when exposed to medium-high heat. Conversely, overcrowding the frying pan traps steam and destroys the desired crunch by reintroducing moisture to the surface of the food.
Shallow frying the coated cubes for five minutes over medium-high heat until golden brown renders the outer layer rigid enough to withstand subsequent simmering without disintegrating. This dual-stage cooking method first creates a physical barrier against liquid absorption and then permits the interior to gradually hydrate during the reduction phase. Simmering the protein in a mixture of shoyu, water, and spices encourages the porous interior matrix to rehydrate with savory liquids rather than plain water. Controlled simmering on low heat ensures the liquid reduces fully, concentrating the seasonings directly into the porous core.
Staggering the addition of fresh chillies alters the final sensory profile by separating background spice from bright, volatile top notes. Adding half the chopped peppers at the beginning infuses the cooking oil with capsaicin, while reserving the remaining half until the end preserves their sharp, pungent crunch. Sesame oil and agave added at the very end provide a glossy finish and a balancing sweetness that rounds out the sharp edges of the fermented soy sauce. Finishing the dish with a handful of fresh spring onion introduces a mild allium bite that contrasts directly with the rich, concentrated reduction.
