As a vegetarian, I simply can’t get enough of tofu! The protein kick aside, I love that tofu is a blank canvas on which to experiment with a medley of flavours, often inspired by different cuisines and cultures. My recent tinkering led to this revelatory gochujang tofu – golden-brown pieces of tofu coated in a sticky ketchup-like sauce that is part sweet, part tangy and very spicy!
I know, I know! It might not be the most authentic Korean recipe – but it has been inspired by the fiery flavours, ingredients and cooking style characteristic of our favourite Asian cuisine.
Tips For Making Spicy Gochujang Tofu
Prepare the tofu
- Drain the excess water out of the tofu by wrapping the block between paper towels and then gently pressing down to release the water using a steel plate or even a wooden chopping board. Let the tofu sit for at least half an hour (ideally an hour) until it is fully drained and firm enough.
- Coat the tofu in corn-flour before pan-frying in hot oil until it is crisp and golden across all sides.
Making the spicy Korean sauce
- The star ingredient in this tofu recipe is a Korean-style Ketchup, made by mixing together gochujang (a spicy Korean fermented red chilli paste), tomato ketchup and a few other staple pantry items (soy sauce, rice vinegar and a dash of sugar). Gochujang is recommended for authenticity of flavour; however in a pinch, you could use another red chilli paste instead.
- Add a splash of water along with all the other sauce ingredients to thin down the Korean sauce to your desired consistency.
Tips For Serving This Gochujang Tofu
- Garnish with scallions and sesame seeds before serving for a dish that is as attractive as it is comforting. You can serve it with a short-grain rice or another grain of your choosing.
Spicy Korean Tofu
Elevate your next tofu fix with a "Korean Ketchup" that is part sweet and part tangy, with a spicy slant and fiery shades of heat!
Ingredients
- 1 block of tofu
- 2-4 tbsp cornflour
- oil for pan-frying tofu
Spicy Korean Sauce
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 2 cloves of garlic , minced
- ½-1 tsp red chillies, minced (optional)
- 1 tbsp gochujang paste/ red chilli paste
- 2 tbsp tomato ketchup
- 2 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tsp rice vinegar
- 1-2 tsp raw sugar/ maple syrup (adjust depending on preference)
- toasted sesame seeds (for garnishing)
- scallions (for garnishing)
Instructions
Prepare the tofu
- Drain the excess water out of the tofu by wrapping the block between paper towels and then gently pressing down to release the water using a steel plate or even a wooden chopping board. Let the tofu sit for at least half an hour (ideally an hour) until it is fully drained and firm enough.
- Then, cut it into cubes or long rectangular strips and coat it with cornflour.
- Liberally heat a few tablespoons of cooking oil in a skillet and pan-fry the tofu for 7 – 10 minutes , flipping the pieces over until they’re golden brown and crisp on both sides. Remove from heat and set aside.
Prepare the spicy Korean sauce
- Heat a tsp of toasted sesame oil in the same skillet. Sauté the garlic (and chilli if adding) until fragrant.
- Add the soy sauce, gochujang/ chilli paste, ketchup, rice vinegar and a splash of water. Stir the ingredients together on medium low heat until it thickens into a sticky sauce.
- Add the tofu, tossing gently until it is evenly coated and glazed with the sticky sauce.
- Remove from heat and divide into serving bowls, garnishing with sesame seeds and scallions/ spring onions (green part only). Serve hot with rice or your grain of choice!
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We’d love to hear from you! Do let us know if you try this recipe – you can leave a comment below and/ or tag us in your delicious creations on Instagram @the_foodiediaries.
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loved this recipe
Lovely! Can’t wait to try this.
Which tofu do u use? I love the taste and texture of the silken tofu but not sure how that would hold up while tossing around. Tried organic tofu from benzer and didn’t enjoy that much..
Hello! I use Nori Mu extra silken firm tofu. Toss well with cornflour and fry until crisp and golden before tossing it with the thickened sauce 🙂
I wanted to try this.
Will put this to bucket food list section of my journal 😋
So thrilled to hear this! Do let me know if you do try this !
Hello. I tried it yesterday. I really like the taste 😍 the recipe is actually easy to follow 🙂 it’s just that I kinda fail it because I don’t usually cook. But i will try again. I hope I’ll perfect it the next time. Thank you.