Sticky Korean Tofu with Aromatic Rice

Sticky Korean Tofu with Aromatic Rice

This one comes out on heavy rotation in both our kitchens and honestly we never get tired of it. The tofu goes properly crispy in the oven, then gets tossed in this sticky, spicy, deeply savoury Korean-inspired sauce that just coats everything perfectly. Gochujang brings this wonderful heat that builds slowly, and the golden syrup balances it out so it's got that addictive sweet-spicy thing going on. Served over fragrant aromatic rice, it's the kind of dinner that feels special but comes together in about 40 minutes. Make this tonight, you won't regret it.

Cook: 40 min
Serves 4

Before You Start

  • Large baking tray
  • Saucepan
  • Wok
  • Box grater
  • Julienne peeler

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp chilli oil
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 2 tsp garlic purée
  • 3 tbsp gochujang paste
  • 5 tbsp BBQ sauce
  • 3 tbsp golden syrup
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp Chinese rice vinegar
  • 1 tbsp sesame seeds
  • water (to loosen)
  • salt to taste
  • 2 x 280g block of firm tofu
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 3 tbsp light soy sauce
  • 1 red chilli
  • 2 inches of ginger
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 2 spring onions
  • 2 large carrots
  • 1 small sweetheart cabbage
  • 2 x 250g bag(s) of microwavable basmati rice
  • 2 spring onions
  • sesame seeds

Method

1

Prepare the tofu

  • Cut the tofu into 1cm cubes, spread over the baking tray and drizzle with the chilli oil and salt, mix well and cook for 30 minutes, stirring halfway through
2

Prepare the sauce

  • Warm the vegetable oil in the saucepan over medium heat
  • Add the garlic puree to the pan and stir for 30 seconds
  • Add the gochujang and stir for 1 minute
  • Add the BBQ sauce, golden syrup, soy sauce and Chinese vinegar, stir to combine and simmer for 2 minutes
  • Add the sesame seeds and a splash of water to loosen the sauce, reduce the heat and leave to simmer
3

Prepare the rice vegetables

  • Trim, deseed and finely dice the chilli
  • Peel and dice the garlic
  • Peel the ginger and grate with the fine side of the box grater
  • Trim and finely slice the spring onions
  • Trim, peel and use the julienne peeler to cut the carrots into ribbons
  • Trim, core and finely shred the cabbage
  • Microwave the rice according to package directions
4

Cook the rice

  • Warm the vegetable oil in the wok
  • Add the chilli, ginger and garlic and fry for 1 minute
  • Add the spring onion and stir for 1 minute
  • Add the carrot and cabbage to the wok and toss for 2 minutes to wilt down the cabbage
  • Pour the rice into the wok and toss to combine, adding 2 tablespoons of the sauce
  • Drizzle over the soy sauce and toss to combine
  • Taste the rice and season with a little more soy sauce if needed
5

Time to serve

  • Trim and finely slice the spring onions
  • Increase the heat of the sauce and bring to a simmer
  • Spoon the rice into serving bowls
  • Add the tofu to the sauce, stir to combine and spoon over the rice
  • Sprinkle over the spring onions and sesame seeds and serve immediately

Tips & Variations

  • Press your tofu well: The drier your tofu before it goes in the oven, the crispier it gets. Even 15 minutes pressed between a couple of sheets of kitchen paper makes a real difference. Trust us on this one.
  • Adjust the heat: Gochujang varies in spice level between brands. If you're not sure how hot yours is, start with a little less and taste the sauce before adding more. You can always turn it up, you can't turn it down.
  • Make it your own: Ian loves throwing some edamame or shredded spring onions over the top to finish. Henry always adds a bit of extra chilli oil at the table. A sprinkle of sesame seeds is never a bad idea either.

Why This Works

The trick is getting the tofu properly golden in the oven before it ever touches the sauce. Dry, crispy tofu soaks up that sticky glaze so much better than soft tofu would, so don't rush that first step. The gochujang and BBQ sauce combo is also a bit of a cheat code, you get real depth of flavour without having to build a complex sauce from scratch.