Hot Tofu with Spicy Soy Sauce

You’re probably familiar with roasted, fried, or baked tofu, but this method of preparing hot tofu boiled in water might be new to you. In fact, this is another traditional way to enjoy tofu in the East, and I must admit it's one of my personal favorites.

Boiling the tofu in water essentially takes it back a step in the tofu-making evolution, returning it to a state where it was a soft, melt-in-your-mouth block of soy cheese.

The level of tenderness depends on the cooking time – the longer you cook the tofu, the softer it becomes. In my opinion, 20-30 minutes of boiling is perfectly sufficient.

The result is a soft, pleasant tofu that still maintains its stable shape, allowing for a satisfying bite.

The advantage of this recipe is that, unlike recipes where the tofu is fried or sautéed, there is no need to add oil, thereby saving on calorie intake.

The sauce traditionally served with hot tofu consists of soy sauce, vinegar, and aromatic spices like garlic and chili peppers.

A Bit About Hot Tofu in Spicy Soy Sauce

• I used firm tofu so it stays stable during the long boiling process. You can use a softer tofu and cook it for less time. Yes, you can also simply heat silken tofu in the microwave.
• To give the tofu a very soft and pleasant texture, I added half a teaspoon of baking soda. This is highly recommended, but you could replace it with a tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice. It has almost the same effect, though the tofu might pick up a slightly acidic taste.
• To stay true to the traditional flavors of the dish, I prepared a warm sauce made of soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, chili pepper, green onions, and toasted sesame seeds. If you don't like one or more of these ingredients, feel free to omit them.

Nutritional Values:

One 200g serving of hot tofu contains:

• 315 calories
• 26g protein
• 9g carbs
• 18g fat

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Hot Tofu in Spicy Soy Sauce

Prep time 30 minutes

Servings 2 servings

Calories 315 kcal

Ingredients

• 1 block firm tofu 300g
• 1 tsp level baking soda
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 clove crushed garlic
• 1 tsp vinegar
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 handful sliced red chili pepper
• 1 handful finely sliced green onion
• 1 tsp sesame seeds

Instructions

1. Cut the block of tofu in half and place in a pot with the teaspoon of baking soda.

2. Bring to a boil and cook for 20-30 minutes.

Prepare the sauce

1. In a deep bowl, mix all the sauce ingredients: soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, chili, green onion, and sesame seeds.

2. Once the tofu is ready, transfer it to the bowl and pour the sauce over the tofu.

3. Eat warm.