Vietnamese Lemongrass Chili Tofu
Vietnamese Lemongrass Chili Tofu (Dau Hu Chien Sa Ot) is a popular vegan Southern Vietnamese dish. Tofu is marinated with a lot of minced lemongrass and bird's eye chili before being fried until golden, crispy and fragrant.
- Prep time
- 5 min
- Cook time
- 10 min
- Yield
- 4 servings
- Difficulty
- MEDIUM
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 1 lb tofu ((medium firm or firm))
- 6-7 tablespoons finely minced lemongrass ((3-4 stalks, white tender part only))
- 1 1/2 tablespoons minced shallots
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 2 bird's-eye chili, seeds removed, minced
- salt
- cooking oil
Instructions
- 1
Pat dry and slice tofu into 1/2 inch thick slices. If your tofu has a lot of excess of water, you may want to weigh the whole block of tofu with heavy objects for a few minutes before cutting into slices.
- 2
Add tofu slices, minced lemongrass, minced shallots, minced bird's-eye chili and about 1/2 teaspoon of salt to a mixing bowl. Gently mix to coat tofu with minced aromatics evenly. Set aside for 15 minutes or longer for tastier results.
- 3
Place a pan over medium heat. Once the pan is hot, add cooking oil. Use your finger to wipe away minced aromatics (reserve these in the mixing bowl) from the tofu slices, then add the tofu slices to the pan in single layer. It is fine if some aromatics still stick to the tofu slices. Fry until golden and crispy, flip once or twice.
- 4
Transfer tofu slices to a clean plate (you may want to line it with paper towel to absorb excess oil). Discard all the oil and all the black bits in the pan.
- 5
Place the pan back over medium low heat. Add the minced aromatics used to marinate the tofu to the pan. Stir and toast until lightly golden, then add minced garlic and a pinch of salt (to taste). Continue to toast until the minced aromatics are deep golden and crunchy. Adjust heat as needed to avoid burning them. It may take a few minutes.
- 6
Place tofu slices on a serving plate and sprinkle all the toasted minced aromatics on top. Serve immediately.