Sesame Red Pepper Tofu
Tofu is fried to chewy perfection, then stir-fried with a garlicky sesame and red pepper sauce. Spicy, savory and satisfying!
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Servings: 3 -4 servings
Ingredients
Fried Tofu
- 1 12 oz block medium, firm, or extra-firm tofu
- 1-2 cups vegetable oil for frying
Sesame Red Pepper Sauce
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1/2 medium white onion finely diced
- 4-6 cloves garlic minced
- 1 red bell pepper chopped
- 6-8 green onions thinly sliced, white and green parts separated
- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
- 2 tablespoons gochugaru Korean red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons vegan oyster sauce
- 1/2 - 1 cup water
Instructions
- Cut tofu into cubes or slices. Place on a clean tea towel or paper towel to blot off excess liquid while you prepare your remaining ingredients.
- In a small bowl, whisk together sesame seeds, brown sugar, soy sauce, vegan oyster sauce, gochugaru, and 1/2 cup water. Set aside.
- In a skillet or wok, heat at least 1/2" vegetable oil to 375-400°F. (I highly recommend using a thermometer; if the oil isn't hot enough, the tofu will not brown or crisp, and it will retain more oil.)
- Fry tofu for 3-4 minutes per side, or until golden brown and crisp. Remove to a wire rack or a paper towel-lined plate. Work in 2-3 small batches to keep the oil at a consistent temperature. Also, be extremely careful when lowering tofu into the oil! Tofu contains a lot of moisture and tends to splatter a bit. This is why it's important to press out the excess liquid first.
- Set fried tofu aside and heat sesame oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. (I usually pour the used frying oil out into a glass jar, wipe down my wok with a paper towel, and stir-fry in that to avoid using an extra pan.)
- Stir-fry onion, garlic, red bell pepper, and the white parts of the green onions for 3-5 minutes, until the mixture starts to brown.
- Add in fried tofu, then pour in the sauce ingredients, stirring constantly. The sauce should immediately start to bubble and thicken. Depending on how saucy you want the dish, you can add an extra 1/4 - 1/2 cup water and continue stirring until thickened.
Notes
Gochugaru: This is a type of red pepper, coarsely ground and used often in Korean cuisine — it's the kind of pepper flakes used in kimchi! It can be found at most Asian markets. If you can't find it, you can substitute in ground chili powder, but the flavor will be different. Gochugaru is of a medium spice level, so you can add in cayenne pepper, chili paste or sriracha to preference if you like very spicy food.
Vegan oyster sauce: You can find a vegan-friendly, mushroom-based oyster sauce at most Asian markets or online. Kikkoman also makes a version that I have seen at my local Kroger store! This is one of my favorite ingredients for stir-fry sauces, but if you can't find it, you can substitute in an equal volume of hoisin sauce (for a slightly different flavor), or just add an extra tablespoon of soy sauce (it's saltier than the oyster sauce, so you won't want to use the same amount).
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