Black Pepper Tofu
Ottolenghi's fiery crispy tofu with shallots, chili, and plenty of crushed black pepper
Contents
Ingredients
- 800g firm tofu
- Vegetable oil, for frying
- Cornflour, for dusting
- 150g vegan butter
- 12 small shallots (350g), thinly sliced
- 8 mild fresh red chilies, thinly sliced
- 12 cloves of garlic, crushed
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh ginger root
- 3 tablespoons sweet soy sauce (kecap manis)
- 3 tablespoons light soy sauce
- 4 teaspoons dark soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons caster sugar
- 5 tablespoons coarsely crushed black peppercorns
- 16 small thin spring onions, cut into 3cm segments
Instructions
Step 1: Fry the tofu
Heat about 5mm of oil in a large frying pan or wok. Cut the tofu into 3 × 2cm cubes, dust with cornflour, and shake off the excess. Fry in batches, turning frequently, until golden and crusted on all sides. Transfer to kitchen paper.
Step 2: Make the sauce
Remove the oil and any sediment from the pan, then melt the vegan butter in it. Add the shallots, chilies, garlic, and ginger and sauté for 15 minutes over low-medium heat, stirring occasionally, until everything is soft and shiny. Add all the soy sauces and the sugar, stir, then add the crushed black pepper.
Step 3: Combine and serve
Return the tofu to the pan to warm through, about 1 minute. Stir in the spring onions and serve hot with steamed rice.
Tips
The chilies and black pepper make this properly fiery — scale them down if you want less heat. From Ottolenghi’s Plenty.