Need a quick and easy tofu recipe to cook for dinner? Look no further, this Filipino Sizzling Tofu is the perfect combination of sweet and savory, and even little spicy. Serve this as an appetizer, or eat it with a bowl of rice, or even alongside your favorite beer. Oh, and fun fact, this recipe is inspired by a popular restaurant chain in the Philippines. If you know which one I'm talking about, then you know that this dish is absolutely delicious.
So, I bet you're wondering which restaurant I got inspiration from. Well, for my fellow Filipinos, if you guessed Max's restaurant, then you guessed right. They serve classic Filipino food, but they're quite famous for their fried chicken. They do include some signature dishes, which is where this sizzling tofu comes along. It's definitely their popular vegetarian dish on the menu. It's a delicious way to enjoy tofu with tons of flavors.
Do I need a sizzling plate?
Usually, this dish is served to you sizzling on a hot cast iron plate. It definitely keeps the dish hot throughout your meal, but between you and me, it's mostly for presentation. It has no additional benefits to the dish, so you don't need one. However, if you do have a cast-iron skillet at home you can totally use that to add to the sizzling effect!
Filipino Sizzling Tofu Ingredients:
- Butter and oil - to sauté and to deep fry
- Firm tofu - main ingredient of the dish!
- Onions and garlic - for aromatics
- Red and green bell peppers - adds texture and color to the dish
- Thai Chili peppers (siling labuyo) and finger chili peppers (siling haba) - to add some heat
- Vegan oyster sauce - adds a ton of umami flavor
- Vegan Worcestershire sauce - adds richness and flavor
- Soy sauce - adds flavor and saltiness
- Vegan mayonnaise - for creaminess
If you’d tried this recipe out let me know in the comments! Don’t forget to follow me on Instagram @flouredframe and don’t forget to tag me when you create my recipes! Happy cooking!
If you want more tofu recipes:
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📖 Recipe
Sizzling Tofu
Equipment
- Chef's knife
- Cutting board
- Small mixing bowl
- Measuring cups
- Measuring spoons
- Large skillet
- Sizzling plate or a small cast-iron pan
Ingredients
Main Ingredients:
- 1 block extra-firm tofu (pressed and cubed)
- vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons vegan butter
- 3 cloves of garlic (minced)
- ½ medium onion (diced)
- 1 small red bell pepper (finely diced)
- 1 small green bell pepper (finely diced)
- 1 green finger chili pepper (siling haba* - thinly sliced)
- 1-2 red Thai chili peppers (siling labuyo) (thinly sliced (adjust to your heat preference))
Sauce:
- ¼ cup vegan mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 tablespoon vegan oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon vegan Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
Instructions
- Prepare the sauce ingredients in a small mixing bowl. Set aside until ready to use.
- Fill a deep pot with enough oil to cover the tofu. Place it over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot (around 350°F), working in batches, deep fry the tofu until it turns light brown. Around 3-5 minutes per batch. Carefully remove the tofu from the pot and place over a plate lined with a tea towel to drain the excess oil. Set aside.
- Heat vegan butter in a large skillet or cast-iron skillet over medium heat.
- Sauté the garlic and onions until aromatic and softened.
- Add in the red and green peppers and sauté until tender.
- Next, add in the sauce and chili peppers and allow it to simmer for 2 minutes.
- Toss in the fried tofu and mix until well combined. If using a cast-iron skillet, carefully serve while hot and sizzling. If not, transfer to a plate, serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Wrap the tofu in a clean tea towel and place a heavy book over the top. Allow it to sit for 30 minutes to press and drain the liquid from the tofu. If you eat a lot of tofu like me, you can invest in a tofu press like this one: https://amzn.to/2SWIjmK
- If you don’t want to deep fry, you can pan-fry the tofu in a bit of oil. Fry the tofu until all the sides are golden brown. Set aside until ready to use.
- Frying substitutions:
- Air Fryer: Air fry at 400°F for 11-15 minutes, tossing halfway so that the tofu cooks evenly on all sides.
- Oven: Toss tofu blocks in 1 tablespoon of oil and bake at 400°F for 15-20 minutes, tossing halfway.
- If you don’t have the sizzling plate, you can use a cast iron skillet, however, make sure you have a base that is 100% heatproof so you can place the cast iron on top of it. Please do not place an extremely hot pan on any surface that isn’t heatproof.
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