Spicy Tofu with Coconut Sauce

Serves: 3

Ingredients

Tofu

• 20 to 22 ounces super firm or firm tofu, see note 1 for further explanation
• 2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil, any neutral oil works
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

Sauce

• 2 tablespoons coconut oil, can sub with any oil
• 1 cup thinly sliced shallots
• 2 tablespoons minced ginger
• 1 cup full-fat canned coconut milk, see note 3
• 3 to 5 tablespoons sambal oelek, see note 4
• 4 teaspoons red curry paste, see note 5
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander, optional
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons coconut or brown sugar

Preparation

Prepare Tofu

1. When you remove the blocks of tofu from the package, the tofu should feel very dense. If the tofu has been sitting in a lot of liquid, pat the blocks of tofu with a towel. Then, slice the tofu into 1-inch cubes.

Pan Fry Tofu

1. Heat a large non-stick pan with 2 tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat. Transfer the tofu pieces to the pan. If you can’t fit all the tofu pieces at once, cook them in batches. Sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon of salt over the tofu.
2. Pan fry the tofu until the bottom side is golden brown, about 3 minutes. Flip them over to another side and pan fry the tofu until golden brown. Sprinkle another 1/4 teaspoon of salt over the tofu pieces. I usually pan fry just 4 sides of the tofu, though I fried all 6 for the photos that you see in the post. Each time you flip the tofu over, sprinkle another 1/4 teaspoon of salt over the tofu, until you’ve sprinkled 1 teaspoon of kosher salt total.
3. Once you’ve fried at least 4 sides of the tofu, turn off the heat.

Cook the Sauce

1. Heat 2 tablespoons of coconut oil in a large skillet over medium to medium-low heat. Add the shallots and cook them for about 4 to 5 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent them from burning. The shallots should be quite soft at this stage. Next, add the minced ginger and cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute, until fragrant.
2. Add the coconut milk, sambal oelek, red curry paste, coriander, salt, and sugar to the pan. Increase the heat to medium-high and let the sauce simmer for 3 to 4 minutes.
3. Turn off the heat. Add the fried tofu to the pan and stir to coat the tofu pieces with the sauce. Transfer the tofu to a serving dish. Garnish with scallions, red pepper flakes, and toasted sesame seeds, if you like. Serve the tofu with jasmine rice and a side of vegetables like roasted asparagus or blanched broccoli.