Spicy Tofu with Creamy Coconut Sauce

• servings: 3 servings
• active time: 15 minutes
• total time: 35 minutes

Ingredients

10 to 20 ounces super firm or firm tofu (see note 1 for further explanation)

2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil (any neutral oil works)

pinches of kosher salt

2 tablespoons coconut oil (can sub with any oil)

1 cup (120g) thinly sliced shallots

1 1/2 tablespoons minced ginger

1 cup full-fat canned coconut milk (see note 3)

2 to 3 tablespoons sambal oelek/ulek (depending on desired level of spice (see note 4)

1 1/2 tablespoons red curry paste (see note 5)

1 1/2 to 3 teaspoons coconut or brown sugar (depending on desired level of sweetness (see note 6)

1 teaspoon ground coriander (optional)

1/2 teaspoon (2g) Diamond Crystal kosher salt (1/4 teaspoon if using table salt, add more salt if necessary)

Directions

Prepare Tofu

When you remove the blocks of tofu from the package, the tofu should feel very dense. If the tofu has been sitting in a lot of liquid, wrap a towel around the tofu and gently squeeze it to remove excess moisture. Then, slice the tofu into 3/4 to 1-inch cubes.

Pan Fry Tofu

Heat a large non-stick or cast iron pan with 2 tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat. Transfer the tofu pieces to the pan. If you can’t fit all the tofu pieces at once, cook them in batches. (If you’re cooking 20 ounces of tofu, you likely need to cook in batches.) Sprinkle a small pinch of salt over the tofu.

Pan fry the tofu until the bottom side is golden brown, about 3 minutes. Flip them over to another side and pan fry the tofu until golden brown. Sprinkle another small pinch of salt over the tofu pieces. When I’m cooking this recipe for dinner, I only pan fry 2 sides of the tofu until golden brown, but feel free to pan fry more if you want more texture. (I pan fried all 6 sides for the photos you see in the post.)

Once you’ve pan fried at least 2 sides of the tofu, turn off the heat and transfer the tofu pieces to a plate. If you are frying 2 batches of tofu, pan fry the second batch now and season with salt. Add more oil to the pan if it’s looking dry.

Cook the Sauce

Heat 2 tablespoons of coconut oil in a large skillet over medium to medium-low heat. Add the shallots and cook them for about 4 to 5 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent them from burning. The shallots should be quite soft at this stage. Next, add the minced ginger and cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute, until fragrant.

Add the coconut milk, sambal oelek, red curry paste, sugar, coriander, and salt to the pan. Stir to combine. Increase the heat to medium-high and let the sauce simmer for 3 to 4 minutes.

Turn off the heat. Add the fried tofu to the pan and stir to coat the tofu pieces with the sauce. Transfer the tofu to a serving dish. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning to your taste, adding more salt or sugar if necessary. Garnish with scallions, red pepper flakes, and toasted sesame seeds, if you like. Serve the tofu with jasmine rice and a side of vegetables like roasted asparagus or steamed broccoli.

Nutrition

• Calories: 568 kcal
• Total Fat: 45 g
• Saturated Fat: 30.6 g
• Sodium: 1655 mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 20 g
• Dietary Fiber: 5 g
• Total Sugars: 11 g
• Protein: 24.4 g