Description
If you like your tofu in perfect bite sized pieces that are golden on the outside, tender and pillowy inside, follow our simple cooking technique. Pan fried tofu can be enjoyed in so many different ways but we especially love it topped with a simple sweet and spicy Korean-inspired sauce. This is a quick and easy dish that you can whip up in under a half hour from start to finish and makes a great lunch, dinner or vegetarian side dish with any Asian meal.
Adapted, minimally, from a recipe in the cookbook Power Vegetables by Peter Meehan
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 4 scallions, sliced, divided
- 2 teaspoons gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
- 2 teaspoons maple syrup or sugar
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 1 pound firm tofu
- 1/4 cup neutral high smoke point oil (such as canola, avocado or light olive)
Instructions
- To make the sauce, whisk together the garlic, half the scallions, gochugaru, maple syrup, soy sauce and sesame oil. Set aside while you fry the tofu.
- Cut the tofu into bite-sized pieces (24-36 pieces)
- Place tofu on a paper towel, top with a double layer of paper towels, and press down gently to absorb surface moisture from the tofu. This will help the tofu brown when you sauté it.
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add as many tofu pieces as will fit in a single layer and cook until golden on the bottom, then flip, 5-7 minutes per side. Transfer to a serving plate and repeat with remaining tofu.
- Pour sauce over tofu, sprinkle with remaining sliced scallions, and serve warm.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 minutes
- Category: lunch, dinner or side
- Method: pan fry
- Cuisine: korean