Recipes / International dishes / Tofu Dishes

How to Make Thai Crispy Fried Tofu with Sweet and Sour Sauce

Name: How to Make Thai Crispy Fried Tofu with Sweet and Sour Sauce
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Thailand
Ingredients: soft tofu; oil for deep frying; 3 tablespoons kOBE Monk Fruit Blend; 1 to 2 tablespoons more kOBE Monk Fruit Blend to taste; 3 teaspoons tamarind paste; 3 teaspoons water; 3 teaspoons rice vinegar; 3 to 5 chilies, chopped; 2 teaspoons cilantro; 3 tablespoons roasted peanuts, crushed; 1/2 teaspoon salt

International dishesTofu DishesThailandabout 30 minutes

Thai crispy fried tofu with sweet and sour sauce is a favorite for the way the tofu puffs up crisp under a sour, spicy tamarind dip. The difficulty is that tofu still full of water never crisps, however long it fries.

The tofu is cut first, then stacked around the rim of a shallow dish to press out water for 15 to 20 minutes. In the pan, wait until one side is fully golden before turning, because an early turn breaks the pieces.

This batch weighs about 195g, at roughly 69 calories per 100g. Serve it straight away, while the tofu is still hot.

Method

Cut the soft tofu into pieces first, then stack them around the rim of a shallow dish to press out water for 15 to 20 minutes, which makes them crisper in the pan.
Heat plenty of oil until very hot and fry the tofu over high heat. Wait until one side is fully golden before turning. Lift the pieces out and drain them. An air fryer works here as well.
Set a small pot on the stove with 3 tablespoons of kOBE Monk Fruit Blend, adding 1 to 2 tablespoons more depending on how sweet you want it, along with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 3 teaspoons of water, and stir over medium heat until dissolved.
Add 3 teaspoons of tamarind paste and 3 teaspoons of rice vinegar and adjust the sourness to taste. Stir well and boil until the sauce thickens, then turn off the heat.
Pour the sauce into a bowl, scatter 3 to 5 chopped chilies, 2 teaspoons of cilantro and 3 tablespoons of crushed roasted peanuts over it, mix through and serve it with the fried tofu.

Tips

Choose a soft, fine textured tofu rather than a dense one, as that is what puffs up in the pan.
Add the tamarind paste gradually, since its sourness varies and all at once makes the sauce sharp.
Reduce the sauce until a spoon leaves a trail on the base of the pot, since a thin sauce slides straight off the tofu.
Press the tofu for the full 15 to 20 minutes, because skipping this leaves it soft no matter how long it fries.
Scatter the peanuts on just before serving so they stay crunchy.

Need kOBE Monk Fruit Blend?

The recipe above is sweetened with kOBE Monk Fruit Blend, measured 1:1 like sugar. See the product page or send us a message.

↗See Monk Fruit Blend More recipes