Sticky sesame seed-coated tofu that has been fried until crispy and tossed in a soy sauce glaze with some heat thanks to crispy chilli oil.
This is a wonderfully simple recipe to make. Throw the ingredients for the sauce in a pan and cook while you fry the tofu. Chuck everything together, and it is done and dusted in 30 minutes.
Quick Spicy Glazed Tofu
Despite being a meat-eater, I love cooking with and eating tofu, and I don't consider it to be a compromise. It is just A N Other ingredient that I get excited about when I am cooking.
It appears in dishes as diverse as my miso tofu noodle soup and tofu pasta to honey and miso glazed tofu "steaks" and my tofu satay skewers.
The latest addition to my library of recipes is some sticky sesame tofu cubes.
Wonderfully sweet and savoury chunks of tofu get a generous punch of heat thanks to some Lao Gan Ma, a Chinese crispy chilli oil.
It makes a fantastic centrepiece for a vegan/vegetarian meal, it's easy and pretty quick to cook too!
The sauce simmers away on the hob whilst you toast some sesame seeds, chop some spring onions and fry the tofu.
Then you throw it all together and add your favourite sides, the most difficult thing about this recipe is waiting for that sauce to cool a little before getting stuck in!
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to press the tofu?
I generally use an extra firm tofu made by the brand Tofoo, and I rarely find any benefit from pressing it.
I will take it out of the packet, wrap it in kitchen paper or a tea towel to dry it a little whilst I prepare the rest of the ingredients. Then I just dice it, and it is good to go.
Can I use firm tofu?
Yes, but that will usually benefit from being pressed. You also have to treat it a little more carefully to stop it from breaking up.
Do I have to use the black sesame seeds?
No, you can use plain old white sesame seeds if you wish. Black sesame seeds pack a little bit more nuttiness into their flavour profile.
But omitting them will not break the dish in the slightest!
Can I use regular chillies rather than crispy chilli oil?
Yes, although you may want to add a little more sesame oil to the dish if you do this.
But please do try and hunt some down at some point in time if you can, it is fantastically versatile stuff.
Lao gan ma is the most "famous" type, and I love the stuff. But Lee Kum Kee makes a product called Chiu Chow chilli oil that works really well too.
You can also omit the chilli if you wish.
Can I make this in advance?
It would be safe to eat this if it is made in advance and stored correctly. But it will certainly not be at its best, and it is not something I would advise.
A NOTE FOR US READERS:
Cornflour is what you guys refer to as cornstarch.
Serving Suggestions
I've served this sticky sesame tofu recipe with some plain jasmine rice and some chilli and garlic braised pak choi in the pictures on this page. It creates a simple and light, yet delicious and filling meal.
If egg fried rice is more your "mojo", fear not, I have a recipe for that too, and it is a great side for this recipe.
Noodles also make a great side dish for this recipe. Sticking with the vegan theme, this plain chow mein would work perfectly, as would this mushroom yaki udon recipe.
Finally, you could expand my plating ideas on this page and turn it into a "donburi" bowl. You could use my duck donburi recipe as a template for this.
Equipment Used
I only name-check brands of equipment if I think that they make a material difference to a recipe. But if you have any questions, feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.
- Hob/Stovetop.
- 15cm or 6" saucepan.
- 30cm or 12" (non-stick) frying pan.
- Grater.
- Stirring and serving spoons.
- Chopping board.
- Kitchen knife.
- A combination of weighing scales and measuring spoons.
Spicy Sticky Sesame Tofu Recipe
Ingredients
- 400 g Extra Firm Tofu 14oz
- 2 tablespoon White Sesame Seeds
- ½ tablespoon Black Sesame Seeds
- 3 Spring Onions
- ⅛ teaspoon Salt
- ⅛ teaspoon White Pepper
- 2 tablespoon Cornflour Cornstarch in the US
- 2 tablespoon Cooking Oil
For the Sauce:
- 3 tablespoon Light Soy Sauce
- 3 tablespoon Light Brown Sugar
- 1 tablespoon Sesame Oil
- 1 tablespoon Rice Vinegar
- 2 teaspoon Crispy Chilli Oil Lao Gan Ma
- ⅛ teaspoon MSG
- ⅛ teaspoon White Pepper
- 3 Garlic Cloves
- 15 g Ginger ½ thumb-sized piece
Instructions
- Cut the tofu into 20mm (¾") cubes and set aside to dry on kitchen paper whilst you begin the sauce.
- Add the soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, rice vinegar, crispy chilli oil, MSG and white pepper to a small 15cm or 6" saucepan.
- Peel the garlic cloves and grate them into the pan.
- Peel the ginger and grate it into the pan, place it on a medium-high heat and stir until the sugar has dissolved, then reduce the heat to low and allow the sauce to simmer whilst you prepare the rest of the dish.
- Heat a 30cm or 12" frying pan (nonstick) over a high heat, add the sesame seeds and cook them until they are lightly golden, then remove and set aside.
- Peel any tough outer leaves from the spring onions, then finely slice them.
- Return the 30cm frying pan to a high heat and when it is hot, add the oil.
- Season the tofu with salt and white pepper, then dredge it with the cornflour.
- Add the dredged cornflour to the oil, then fry until golden on all sides. This will take approximately 5-7 minutes.
- Pour in the sauce, add most of the sesame seeds, reserving a few for garnish, and cook for a final 1-2 minutes.
- Serve with your favourite sides, and garnish with the remaining sesame seeds and spring onions.
