Vegan Crispy Chilli Tofu Bosh TV

Crispy Chilli Tofu

  • Simple
  • 0:30 m
  • 11 ingredients

This is our take on one of our favourite Chinese takeaway dishes. It's spicy, full of umami flavour, sticky, gooey and incredibly moreish, with a base of orange juice and sweet chilli sauce adding the main sweet tang. Serve with rice and top with spring onions for the ultimate dish!

Serves: 2

Ingredients

For the tofu

  • 1 tbsp Sriracha - or other chilli sauce
  • 3 tbsp soy sauce
  • 100g sweet chilli sauce
  • 250ml orange juice
  • 1 x 280g block of firm tofu
  • 50g cornflour
  • vegetable oil for frying
  • 2 lemons

To serve

  • 1 tsp sesame seeds
  • 1 spring onion
  • 130g rice

Before you start

Tofu press or 2 clean tea towels and a weight such as a heavy book | Large, deep frying pan on a high heat | Large plate covered with kitchen paper

Step 1

Press the tofu

  • First, press the tofu using a tofu press or place it between two clean tea towels, lay it on a plate and put a weight on top
  • Leave for at least half an hour to drain any liquid and firm up before you start cooking

Ingredients

  • 1 x 280g block of firm tofu

Step 2

Coat the tofu

  • Carefully slice the pressed tofu into 1 cm-wide sticks and spread them out on a board
  • Sift cornflour over the top, coating the pieces generously
  • Use tongs or two forks to turn the pieces and sift over more cornflour until the tofu is covered on all sides
  • The thicker the better with the cornflour as this coating gives the cooked tofu its crunchy texture

Ingredients

  • 50g cornflour

Step 3

Cook the tofu

  • Pour enough oil into the pan to fully coat the bottom and heat until it makes the tip of a wooden spoon sizzle
  • Carefully place the tofu pieces in the pan, with a bit of space around each one (you may need to cook them in batches)
  • Cook for 5 minutes, turning the pieces every minute or so until they are starting to turn golden brown
  • Transfer to the plate lined with kitchen paper
  • Tip away the excess oil in the pan and reduce the heat to medium-high

Ingredients

  • vegetable oil for frying

Step 4

Make the sauce

  • Cut the lemons in half and squeeze the juice into the pan, catching any pips in your other hand (be careful as the pan may spit)
  • Add the orange juice, sweet chilli sauce, sriracha and soy sauce and bring to the boil
  • Simmer for 5-7 minutes until the liquid has reduced to a syrupy consistency

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp Sriracha - or other chilli sauce
  • 3 tbsp soy sauce
  • 100g sweet chilli sauce
  • 250ml orange juice
  • 2 lemons

Step 5

Finish cooking the tofu and serve

  • Add the tofu strips back to the pan and stir until fully coated
  • Continue to cook, stirring regularly, for 5 minutes and then remove from the heat
  • Finely slice the spring onion and sprinkle over the tofu along with the sesame seeds before serving with rice

Ingredients

  • 1 tsp sesame seeds
  • 1 spring onion
  • 130g rice