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Baked Crispy Chili Tofu
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Crispy Baked Chili Tofu

Crispy baked tofu smothered in ginger garlic chili sauce that is spicy tangy with just amount of sweetness, served on crispy cabbage slaw to add extra crunch.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Course: Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack
Servings: 3

Ingredients

Baked Tofu

  • 16 oz Trader Joes High Protein Super Firm Tofu any firm/extra firm tofu will work
  • 2 tbsp Corn Starch
  • ½ tsp Garlic Powder
  • ½ tsp Onion Powder
  • ¼ tsp Salt
  • ¼ tsp Black Pepper Powder
  • Avocado Oil Spray

Chili Sauce

  • 2 tbsp Avocado Oil any cooking oil will work
  • 4 medium Garlic Cloves, finely chopped no paste
  • 2 inch Ginger Root, finely chopped no paste
  • 4 Thai Green Chili, finely chopped no paste, use less for less heat
  • 2 tbsp Cilantro Stems, finely chopped
  • 2 tbsp White Part of Scallions, finely chopped
  • 2 tbsp Dark Soy Sauce chings dark soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp Chili Sauce chings chilli sauce
  • 2 tsp White Vinegar
  • 2 tbsp Tomato Ketchup preferably maggi ketchup
  • 2 tsp Corn Starch
  • ¼ tsp Salt
  • ¼ tsp Black Pepper Powder
  • ¼ cup Water

Cabbage Slaw

  • 10 oz Shredded Green Cabbage
  • 1 tbsp White Vinegar
  • ¼ tsp Salt
  • ¼ tsp Black Pepper Powder
  • ¼ cup Cilantro, finely chopped
  • ¼ cup Green Part of Scallions

Instructions

Bake Tofu

  • Press tofu to remove as much water as possible. Once ready, break it in small uneven pieces instead of cutting it in squares. The uneven surface will help tofu get crispy. The smaller the pieces the crispier they will get, and the bigger the pieces they will be moist in the center. So choose piece size based on your preference.
  • Preheat oven on 425℉. While it preheats, In a small bowl, mix 2 tbsp corn starch with ½ tsp garlic powder, ½ tsp onion powder, ¼ tsp salt and ¼ tsp black pepper powder.
  • Sprinkle dry corn starch mix all over tofu pieces. Toss the tofu pieces so that corn starch mix is evenly coated on all tofu pieces. Using flat small spatula helps with even coating. Be gentle with this step to ensure the tofu does not break/gets mushy.
  • Once tofu is coated with corn starch mix, lay it in single layer on top of greased baking tray. Then spray tofu pieces with avocado oil spray. Bake it on 425℉ for 25-30 minutes, or until crispy. Once ready, start cooking the sauce.

Making of Cabbage Slaw

  • In a bowl, toss shredded cabbage with white vinegar, salt & black pepper powder. Keep it aside.

Making of Chili Sauce

  • In a bowl, mix dark soy sauce, chili sauce, white vinegar, tomato ketchup, salt, black pepper powder, corn starch & water. Whisk well so that there are no lumps.
  • In a sauce pan, heat up 2 tbsp of oil. Do not make it too hot. Add in ginger, garlic and thai green chili. Mix well and cook it on low/med heat for 2-4 minutes. It will look dense at first then as you cook more, it will start to get light and fluffy. This step is to ensure the slow cooking of ginger & garlic so that they do not get burn while still start to hold some crunch and golden brown color.
  • Add in cilantro stems and white part of scallions. Mix well and cook for 30-60 seconds.
  • Add in the sauce mix, stir it constantly while you cook it on medium heat. It will deepen the color and thicken up.
  • Add in baked crispy tofu and mix well to coat each pieces with the sauce. Sprinkle some cilantro and green part of the scallions.
  • Simply serve it on the bed of cabbage slaw with side of steamed rice and choice of beverage.