At the Sunday Asian farmers market in Sacramento (around 5th Street, between X Street & Broadway), you can find freshly made tofu from local Chinese tofu makers (such as Hing Wong Soy). They sell many styles of soy products, such as silken tofu (豆腐花), fried tofu (炸豆腐), soy milk (豆漿), and a very pressed style of firm tofu (白豆腐乾).

This spicy tofu recipe is something I created on a weeknight when I wanted to make a quick dinner using the firm tofu I purchased at the farmers market. It is spicy, tangy, rich with coconut flavor, and easy to make. Pair this up with a side of grains and vegetables, and you’ll have a meal in about 30 minutes.

As I stated above, I am using a very pressed style of tofu for this recipe. This style of tofu might be called “firm tofu,” or “super firm tofu” depending on the tofu maker. Hing Wong Soy, where I usually get my tofu, calls it “firm tofu.”

If you’re familiar with House Foods products, they call this style of pressed tofu “super firm tofu.” Hodo Foods, a Bay Area-based soy company also sells a “firm tofu” that is very pressed and sold in vacuum-sealed packages. By the way, not all vacuum-sealed and shrink wrapped tofu products will work. Make sure the tofu feels dense enough when you give it a squeeze.

The beauty about this style of tofu is that you don’t need to press it before pan frying. The tofu is so dense that there is barely any liquid trapped inside the block of tofu. So when you pan fry the tofu straight out the package, you’ll get tofu with crisp edges. It’s great for stir fries too because the tofu won’t crumble as you cook it. 

If you can only find extra-firm tofu at your grocery store, you can use it for this recipe. Just drain the tofu and wrap the tofu block with a layer of paper towels or muslin cloth. Place the wrapped block of tofu on a plate and weigh it down with a stack of plates or a small pan to press the tofu. Let it sit for about 20 minutes.

Slice the tofu into 1-inch cubes and then pan fry them in a non-stick pan over medium-high heat. I like pan frying the tofu because it creates more textures on the tofu pieces–you’re not just biting into a soft block of tofu. I also use the pan frying process as an opportunity to season the tofu with some salt. I like pan frying tofu in a non-stick pan to ensure that the tofu doesn’t stick to the pan. 

Pan fry the sides of the tofu until golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes. The first side may take a little longer as the pan is still heating up. I usually pan fry just 4 sides of the tofu cubes. However, for the photographs in this post, I pan fried all 6 sides.

To give the sauce rich flavor and creaminess, I used coconut milk. I recommend using full-fat canned coconut milk because it is more flavorful. However, you can use canned lite coconut milk. I don’t recommend using refrigerated coconut milk beverages because they’re too runny.

For spice, I used sambal oelek (also spelled sambal ulek) from Huy Fong Foods. Sambal is a spicy relish or paste made of peppers that originated in Indonesia. Over time, the use of sambal has spread to other Southeast Asian and South Asian countries, so you can find many versions of sambal. This sambal oelek from Huy Fong Foods delivers spice and tangy flavor, which is a great balance to the richness of the coconut milk. In small amounts, I don’t think the sambal oelek is too spicy, but the spice builds quickly. I like using 4 tablespoons of sambal oelek to give the dish a medium level of spice. Feel free to adjust the amount of sambal oelek to suit your tastes.

I also added red curry paste to the sauce to give it more bright flavor. I love using Thai Kitchen’s red curry paste because it’s an easy way to infuse flavor into my cooking. Although the label says that the curry paste is “hot,” I don’t find it spicy at all. Thai Kitchen’s red curry paste is vegan, but that might not be the case for all brands. I have seen some brands add shrimp for umami flavor, so double check the labels if you are vegan or are allergic to shellfish.

While pan frying the tofu, start making the sauce. Sauté thinly sliced shallots in coconut oil for a few minutes, until softened. Add the minced ginger, and sauté that until they start to turn fragrant. Then, add the coconut milk, sambal oelek, curry paste, coriander, salt, and sugar. The coriander is optional. I like using ground coriander because it adds earthy flavor.

Some of you might wonder why I’m adding sugar to the sauce. The sweetness of the sugar balances the vinegar flavor from the sambal oelek. Although I list brown sugar and coconut sugar in the recipe, you can use any type of sugar or liquid sweetener that you want.

After simmering the sauce for a few minutes, add the tofu pieces and stir to coat the tofu with the sauce.

Garnish the spicy tofu with sliced scallions, sesame seeds, and red pepper flakes, if you want. 

The spicy tofu is great with a side of grains like jasmine rice, brown rice, or quinoa. I also recommend serving it with a side of vegetables, like blanched broccoli or roasted asparagus. If you are blanching vegetables, make sure to salt the water before boiling. Then, blanch the broccoli for about 2 to 3 minutes.

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