Spicy Tofu with Coriander & Lime

This is a dish I had for breakfast at a great place called Burasari, just off Patong Beach in Thailand. It tastes a little like a soupy version of salt and pepper tofu. Though I had this in Thailand, I think it’s more of a Chinese influenced dish (which seems to be quite common around many parts of Thailand).

I have no idea if this is actually how you are supposed to make this dish, but it tastes perfect to me! This dish is all about the tofu, so don’t clutter it with too many veges (though, if you’re not into tofu, I’m sure a fish version of this would be delicious – though you might need to reverse the cooking process and cook the fish before the vegetables).

Like most Thai food, this dish is best cooked just before serving, and of course it needs a very generous portion of unsalted, medium or long grain rice to accompany it!

Ingredients:

• 1-3 red Birdseye chili, sliced
• 1-2 cloves garlic, thick slices (if it’s too thin it will burn)
• 1/2 cup of diced vegetables (I used a mixture of long beans, capsicum and baby corn, but if you have a sweet tooth, add some chopped pineapple)
• 1 ripe tomato, diced
• 2 cups silken Tofu, chopped into large cubes
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon of peanut or sunflower oil (or a mix of both)
• 3/4 cup hot vegetable stock
• 1-2 teaspoon fish sauce
• 2 teaspoons light soy sauce
• 1-2 teaspoon sugar
• 1-2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
• 1 lime, cut in wedges
• large handful of coriander (separate leaves from stems, roughly chop stems)
• 1 tablespoon chopped peanuts
• rice to serve

Method:

Basically, you’re going to cook the veges, add the tofu, season the sauce and then eat it!

1. Pat the tofu dry with a towel, then lightly coat the cubes in cornstarch and set aside (the tofu MUST be dry else the cornstarch will go gluggy). If you can’t be bothered to do this step, I’m sure it will still work out just fine (though the sauce might be a little thin and the tofu might break apart a little – don’t say I didn’t warn you!).
2. Add the oil to a hot wok.
3. When the wok begins to smoke, add the vegetables and stir for 1 minute on high heat, then push the veges to one side of the wok.
4. Add the tofu to the empty side of the wok – do not stir it immediately, wait until the tofu is sealed (otherwise it will fall apart)
5. After about 1 minute, the tofu should be heated through, lightly browned on 1 side and juices should be releasing from the tomato & other vegetables. You can stir it gently now!
6. Add 1/4 of the stock and let it bubble away for a few seconds, then add coriander stems, sugar, salt, pepper, fish sauce & soy, stir gently, and switch the wok to medium heat.
7. At this point, I’d recommend you taste your sauce. It should be spicy, a little sweet and quite salty (but don’t worry, the rice and tofu should mellow it out). If you need to re-season the dish add more stock and season to taste (but remember, the stock is salty too!). Once you’re happy with the flavours, it’s time to plate up! The seasoning might need to be adjusted depending on which vegetables you are using (if you want more sauce, add more vegetable stock, but be careful not to overcook the veges).
8. To serve, pile the tofu over hot rice, top with coriander leaves, peanuts and a generous splash of fresh lime.

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: approx 4-5 minutes.

Project Management Tip: A little planning goes a long way.

Ps. @Ycnt_ibdonlyjen – You’ll have to let me know how it turns out!