If you’re looking for a new and delicious way to eat tofu, you’ll find it in the form of this spicy cold tofu – a refreshing appetiser packing in a punch of flavours and shades of heat. This recipe calls specifically for silken tofu – its soft and delicate texture is the perfect canvas for a zingy and sizzling chilli sauce bursting with an umami-rich intensity calibrated by a myriad of staple Asian pantry ingredients.
What’s more, this spicy cold tofu couldn’t be easier to make – simply stir the sauce together, drizzle it over the cold tofu and refrigerate, serving it fridge-cold. Whilst it makes for a light “carpaccio”-style side dish, it can also be a substantive meal in itself when accompanied by a bowl of steamed rice that can sop up all the extra sauce that’s deliciously floating around the tofu.
Key Ingredients In The Sizzling Chilli Sauce
- Minced garlic
- Chopped scallions/ spring onions
- Gochugaru (Korean crushed red pepper flakes) and/ or paprika
- Toasted sesame seeds
- Sesame oil
- Light soy sauce
- Rice vinegar/ white vinegar
- Chilli oil (optional)
- Honey/ maple syrup
- Finely-chopped cucumbers
How To Make This Spicy Cold Tofu
- Prep your silken tofu: there is no need to press it, however do gently wrap it with kitchen towels to release the excess water. Whilst it is safe to eat tofu straight from the packet (without cooking it), if you prefer, you can steam the tofu beforehand (for 5-6 minutes)
- Mix together the minced garlic, chopped spring onions, toasted sesame seeds, gochugaru and paprika.
- Gently heat sesame oil until hot (but not smoking!). Pour it over the chilli-garlic mixture.
- Now whisk in soy sauce, vinegar, chilli oil (optional), honey/ maple syrup.
- Finally mix in finely-chopped cucumbers.
- Pour this sauce over the tofu and refrigerate for a few hours before serving, ideally with a bowl of rice. Alternatively, you can also make this sauce ahead of time and refrigerate it (without adding it over your tofu) – in fact, this is recommended for more depth of flavour!
Spicy Cold Tofu With Sizzling Chilli Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 packet of silken tofu
For the chilli sauce
- 2-3 cloves of garlic, finely minced
- 2 tbsp spring onions, finely chopped
- 1 tsp gochugaru (Korean crushed red pepper flakes)
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
- 1½ tbsp hot sesame oil
- 3 tbsp light soy sauce
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- ½-1 tsp honey / maple syrup (optional/ adjust according to preference)
- 1 tsp chilli oil (optional/ adjust according to preference)
- 2 tbsp finely-chopped cucumber
Instructions
- Drain your block of silken tofu by wrapping it between kitchen towel. However, don’t press down on the tofu (or you might break it!)
- Add the garlic, spring onions, sesame seeds, gochugaru and/or paprika to a heat-proof bowl.
- Heat the sesame oil until it is hot (but shy of smoking). Pour it over the chilli garlic mixture.
- Now mix in the soy sauce, rice vinegar, chilli oil, maple syrup/ honey and finely chopped cucumbers.
- You can either refrigerate the sauce for a few hours/ overnight (this is recommended for intensifying the flavour); or immediately pour it over your tofu.
- Refrigerate the tofu and serve it chilled, preferably with a bowl of rice as an accompaniment.
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