Recipe Sichuan Chilli Tofu
Gluten-free option
Protein-packed
Nut-free option
Budget friendly
Freshly Picked
Easy peasy
Lazy dinners
Main meals
If you like a bit of heat in your dinner, Chinese cuisine delivers. With this dish you’ll learn how to harness the power of Sichuan pepper and chillies to transform your tofu into a stunning dish!
You will need
Serves 2
- 1 packet silken tofu
- 2 tablespoons salt
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 4-5 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 tablespoon Sichuan pepper
- 4 dried Sichuan chillies (Kashmiri would work too), thinly sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, sliced
- 1 thumb ginger, thinly sliced
- 2 long red chillies, seeds removed and thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon mushroom powder (4 dried shiitake mushrooms, blended to a powder, optional)
- 1 teaspoon caster sugar
- 3 tablespoon soy sauce
To serve
- Steamed rice
- 2 stalks spring onion, green tops only, diced
- Bunch coriander, roughly chopped
Recipe: Simon Toohey
Directions
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Step 1
Fill a small pot with water and 2 tablespoons salt. Bring to a simmer. Cut the tofu into 1-inch cubes and put in the salted water letting the tofu warm through. This will create a skin around the cubes and set the tofu.
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Step 2
In a heavy-based pan or a wok, add the sesame and vegetable oils and bring to a smoke. Add the cinnamon stick and Sichuan pepper, and heat through to infuse the oil. Then add the dried Sichuan chillies to do the same.
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Step 3
Add the garlic, ginger and fresh chilli and fry briefly at high heat for about a minute. Turn the heat down to medium and add the mushroom powder, sugar and soy sauce, and fry for a few minutes to incorporate all the ingredients.
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Step 4
Finally, turn the heat back up. Use a slotted spoon to scoop the tofu out of the pot and into the frypan mixture; gently toss to coat the tofu in the Sichuan sauce for a couple minutes.
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Step 5
Pour tofu and sauce into a bowl, serve with rice and garnish with coriander and green spring onion tops.
Recipe: Simon Toohey
