Tofu
Sambal, or Sambal Tofu, is a side vegetarian dish for a rice meal. Not only for
vegetarians but also suitable for non-vegetarians. Suited for a meatless meal
or plant-based cooking (VEGETARIAN NASI LEMAK), this simple recipe requires nothing more than pantry
staples. These are the common ingredients stocked up at home.
There are a couple of ways to cook tofu
sambal. Essentially, it’s the sambal or chili paste that creates the dish. The
paste turns into a chili gravy or thick chili sauce.
The YouTube Shorts video attached below shows how to cook a simple tofu sambal.
This
tofu recipe, however, uses vinegar to make a chili vinaigrette sauce or sambal.
Vinegar acts as a preservative, so the sambal can be made in extra portions and
frozen. When needed, it can be added to stir-fried vegetables (VEGETABLE STEW IN COCONUT MILK).
It can also be an accompaniment for noodle
dishes, fried rice, or practically any meal that needs spiciness.
For this version of tofu in spicy gravy,
the tofu is fried first, though it can also be made without frying. Frying
gives the tofu a crispy top. It also helps prevent the tofu from breaking when
added to the sambal.
Spicy and packing a punch, this fried tofu in chili sauce is one of the best tofu recipes. It is easy to cook and always delicious on the palate.
3 firm white
tofu, - cut diagonally into 4 pieces. Sprinkle some salt atop
5 shallots - chopped
Dried red chili
paste - per taste
2 tomatoes - chopped
½ cup water
Apple
cider or white vinegar - per taste
Palm sugar - per taste
Salt to taste
Oil as needed
How to Make Tofu Sambal
Heat oil and lightly fry tofu until lightly crispy on both side.
Remove and set aside.
Reduce the amount of oil in the pan to 3tbsp.
Sauté chopped
shallots.
Add dried chili
paste and cook till aromatic and oil separate.
Add tomato and water.
Cook till a thick sauce.
Season with vinegar, palm sugar, and salt.
Dish out.
