Dau hu kho sa ot fills the pan with the smell of lemongrass, a thick braising liquid and a gentle heat. The tofu is fried golden and then braised in fresh coconut water, which leaves a lingering sweetness that goes perfectly with hot rice.
The difficulty is holding on to the fresh lemongrass scent, since a long braise leaves only a raw sharpness behind. A portion of the fried lemongrass and chili is set aside and stirred in near the end, which brings the aroma right back up. Low heat lets the liquid reduce slowly, while a high flame firms the tofu before it has taken on any flavor.
This batch weighs about 1.5kg, at roughly 74 calories per 100g.
Method
Heat the oil and fry the 4 pieces of tofu for about 3 minutes a side until evenly golden, lift them out to drain, then cut them into bite sized pieces.
While the tofu fries, mince 3 garlic cloves, 4 stalks of lemongrass and 4 chilies with the seeds removed.
Heat oil in a pan, fry the garlic and lemongrass until golden and fragrant, add the minced chili and stir, then spoon about 2 tablespoons of the lemongrass and chili mixture into a bowl and set it aside.
To the mixture left in the pan, add 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon vegetarian seasoning powder, 1/2 tablespoon kOBE Monk Fruit Blend, 1/2 tablespoon MSG and 1 tablespoon chili sauce, and stir until everything dissolves.
Add the tofu, turn it gently, then leave it to take on the seasoning for 10 minutes.
Pour in 80ml fresh coconut water and braise over low heat for 7 to 8 minutes until the liquid thickens.
Stir in the reserved lemongrass and chili, braise 3 minutes more, then turn off the heat and serve hot.
Tips
Frying the tofu first gives it a chewy skin that survives repeated turning in the pan.
Minced lemongrass fries best over medium heat, since a high flame turns it black and bitter.
kOBE Monk Fruit Blend dissolves slowly, so mix it with the soy sauce and chili sauce first rather than sprinkling it into a dry pan.
Fresh coconut water is already sweet, so season lightly and taste again as the liquid reduces.
A night in the fridge deepens the flavor, and gentle heat with a splash of water brings it back.
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.