This Asian style Sticky Chili Ginger Tofu is so fast and easy to make. It’s sweet, sticky & spicy with amazing depth of flavour. A perfect mid-week meal!
I love food that is packed with BIG flavours and this Sticky Chili Ginger Tofu is so full of bold flavour that it can’t possibly disappoint. It is also incredibly quick and easy to make. In fact, it can be cooked in the time it takes a pan of rice to cook.
Tofu seems to have a bit of a bad rep but cooked well, it is incredibly delicious. It is also very high in protein and calcium and very low in fat. In my recipe notes at the end I explain all about freezing and pressing tofu to get a better texture. You don’t have to freeze or press it before making this recipe but you will get a crispier result and a better texture if you do. Once pressed, all you need to do is dredge it in gently spiced flour, fry until deliciously crispy (with or without oil) then smother it in the lip smackingly delicious sauce.
This tofu is seriously the bomb! If you know any tofu sceptics then this might well be the dish to win them around.
The sauce itself only takes about ten minutes to make but can also be made in advance and stored in the fridge. It keeps well for up to one week and just needs to be gently reheated before serving. It also freezes well. I often make double and freeze half as I like to have some emergency fast food in the freezer for those times when I’m too exhausted to cook.
Serve this Sticky Chili Ginger Tofu with generous amounts of fluffy rice, noodles or quinoa. A sprinkling of sesame seeds and chopped green onions finish it off very nicely.
Please leave me your feedback in the comments below and share your pictures with me on Instagram. I am @avirtualvegan. I can’t wait to hear what you think!
Sticky Chili Ginger Tofu
Ingredients
For the sauce
- 2 large cloves garlic , either grated or chopped very finely
- 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger (see recipe note)
- 2 tablespoons arrowroot powder or cornstarch, (arrowroot gives a better look to the sauce)
- 60mls | 1/4 cup rice vinegar (you can sub this for apple cider vinegar )
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil (omit to make recipe oil free)
- 120mls | 1/2 cup natural tomato ketchup
- 2 tablespoons Tamari (you can sub this for soy sauce or coconut aminos )
- 1/4 teaspoon chili flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon Chinese five spice
- 60mls | 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 240mls | 1 cup water
For the tofu
- 1 large block firm tofu , that has been pressed and cubed (see recipe note)
- 2 tablespoons all purpose flour (you can sub this for gluten-free flour if necessary)
- 1 teaspoon Chinese five spice
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (optional)
Instructions
For the sauce
- Add the arrowroot/cornstarch to a pan and slowly add the vinegar, stirring as you go to make sure there are no lumps.
- Now add all of the other sauce ingredients and stir well.
- Place over a medium/low heat and and keep stirring until it becomes thick and silky. Don't stop stirring as it will get lumpy. It will take about 10 minutes. Once thick turn down to the lowest setting possible and keep warm.
For the tofu
- Cut the pressed tofu into bite sized cubes.
- Mix the chinese five spice into the flour then pour over the tofu and toss to make sure every cube is coated well.
- Heat a fry pan over a medium to high heat. If you want to use oil add it to the pan.It is optional. Using oil will make the tofu crispier. It's still good without though.If you choose not to use oil then be sure to use a non stick pan.
- Once the pan/oil is very hot add the tofu. Cook on each side until golden brown and crispy. It will take 5 - 10 minutes to cook on all sides.
- Remove from the heat and set aside. If you used oil put it on some paper towel to soak off any excess.
- To serve you can toss the tofu through the sauce or you can serve it separately and have everyone drizzle their own tofu at the table.
Recipe Notes
I keep my fresh ginger in the freezer. When you need some you can take it out and grate it (while frozen) then return what's left to the freezer. I don't bother peeling it and just grate through the skin. It keeps well for months and months. Press the tofu in a tofu press or by wrapping it in a clean dish towel and placing something very heavy on it, like a pile of books or heavy wooden cutting board, or a plate with some tin cans on it. Leave for at least 30 mins but the longer you leave it the drier it will get and the crispier the cooked tofu will be. I always freeze my tofu when I buy it as when it has been frozen and defrosted it has a much nicer texture. I'm not sure why but trust me it does. It doesn't have to have been frozen for this recipe but if you have the time to do it then do.
This recipe has been linked Healthy Vegan Fridays at rockmyvegnsocksoff.com
I’d totally dig this bowl if I could have tofu 🙁
It would be great with lightly steamed cauliflower instead of the tofu!
Oh this looks delicious! And I love the cauliflower (tofu substitution idea). So yummy!!
This looks so good, sharing on FB and pinning, I would love this for dinner!
Thank you so much Sara! If you try it let me know what you think :0)
Omg this is RIGHT up my alley! Definitely have to try it!
Lauren | http://www.lakeshorelady.com/
Let me know what you think! :0)
That is some good looking tofu! You’re so right about pressing and freezing tofu, it has a great texture if you do.
Thanks Linda. It’s amazing that something so simple makes such a difference!
This sounds so good! I love chili ginger sauce and I could probably eat this one with a spoon. Delish friend!!
Thank you Sophia ?
I have been seeing these pics everywhere and I’m drooling every time!! It looks sooooo good! I can’t wait to try it!
Thanks so much Jenn! Its so tasty. You’ll love it!
what a gorgeous bowl.
Yum yum YUM! I want this bowl right now! I love that you use Chinese 5-Spice. I love it and rarely see it used! Looks good.
Thank you! Chinese 5 Spice has such a beautiful flavour. I love it!
I can’t wait to eat a huge bowl of this tonight! It looks amazing.
Thank you Kathy! Enjoy :0)
This dish will totally convince tofu haters to rethink their position. I can just imagine how good this is! Those flavors rock!
I totally agree, in fact I had someone let me know on Facebook earlier that they made it for their tofu sceptic family and it went down a storm. It’s so tasty!
Oh wow, these tofu cubes look absolutely delish!! Will deffo get back to this recipe next time I make mine 🙂
Thank you! They are so tasty with the Chinese 5 spice coating.
This looks so delicious! The tofu! Yummy! And I love the photos, they make me think of spring. 🙂
Thank you! And yes I wanted to create a spring like theme. There are so many beautiful flowers etc around at the moment. I’ve just been out picking apple blossoms for today’s photos!
Made it , eaten it, fed it to the family. It really is very good, easy to make. I will definitely be making it for dinner guests.
I am so glad that you and you’re family enjoyed it Lynda. Thank you for taking the time to let me know :O)
What a brill recipe – so easy and quick to make. We had it for tea tonight and it was fab. Steve (a meat eater) said it tasted ‘just like Chinese’!
That so good to hear Sandra and it’s an even bigger compliment that a meat eater enjoyed it! It does kind of taste like a Chinese takeout doesn’t it? Thanks so much for stopping by to let me know :0)
Oh yummy! I’ve been on a huge tofu kick lately. Also, totally digging the styling of these photos. So fresh and fun! 🙂
Thank you Justine. The tofu in this recipe is so crispy and delicious and gloriously scented with Chinese 5 spice. I just adore it! And thank you for the compliment on my photos. You were actually my inspiration there! I love the pretty flowers etc that you add to your shots. I’ve been buying lots of flowers and experimenting. I am loving the results!
Just cooked this for my dinner: super yummy scrummy 😀😘
Yay! That’s what I like to hear. Thanks so much for letting me know and for sharing the recipe link on Facebook. :O)
The instructions don’t tell you to cube the tofu – I assume you do that before you brown it, yes?
I’m sorry Susan. Yes cube it before browning it. I have now made it clear in the ingredients list that it needs to be cubed. Thanks for bringing it to my attention.
Thanks for your quick response. I did see where the instruction to cube the tofu was in the sauce part of the directions.
Thanks again – just reheating to finally get dinner!
I hope you enjoy it!
Thanks for publishing oil-free versions. Besides that, since I’m a sissy. When it comes to heat, so I halved the ginger and added a small can of tomato sauce. We thought it was delicious.
Sissy’s are very welcome here ;O) I am so glad you enjoyed it and were able to adapt it to your taste. Thanks so much for stopping by to let me know!
This looks so delicious I wish I could just reach through my computer screen with my fork & leave your future readers to wonder why your post has a photo of an empty bowl on it. LOL I appreciate your offering oil-free alternatives/tips in your recipes that call for oil. I just want to mention that I never heat my non-stick (Berndes) pans on anything higher than medium heat, and seldom even that. For one thing, it can ruin the coating, for another it can release toxic fumes: https://www.drmcdougall.com/misc/2006nl/april/teflon.htm
Ha ha! That made me laugh. Virtual eating. Maybe the calories wouldn’t count then ;O) As for Teflon coated pans, I don’t personally use them for the reasons you have stated. There are some excellent non-stick pans around now that do not contain Teflon. I have a great Starfrit The Rock pan. They are non-stick and have no chemically weird coating. They are also really reasonably priced.
So are you freezing the fresh block of tofu or do you press it then freeze it?, I am familiar with oressing but have never frozen before seems like it would give it a. Ice chewy texture.
As soon as I get it home I freeze it in it’s packaging without opening it. I am not sure of the science behind it, but I think it must be something to do with the ice crystals forming inside it and breaking it down that makes it better. Then I defrost it and press it before cooking with it. If I forget to defrost it the day before (which often happens), I just soak it in a sink of warm water to hurry it along.The texture is completely different when done this way and I love it!
To be clear we are talking abiut fresh tofu in water correct? Not the aceptic packaged kind like mori-nu?
Yes fresh tofu in water, extra firm in particular I think is best. 🙂