Sweet Chilli Tofu and Rice
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This sweet chilli tofu is a vegetarian rice bowl made with golden tofu, stir-fried vegetables and a sticky homemade sweet chilli soy sauce. It is designed for meal prep but is quick enough for a weeknight dinner when you need something on the table without an hour of cooking.Note - ingredients can be approximate
Equipment
- Tofu press, optional
- wok, or large pan
- Rice Cooker, optional
Ingredients
Sweet chilli tofu
- 450 g (1 lb) extra firm tofu, see note 1
- 2 tablespoon cornflour
- 2 teaspoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 onion
- 1 zucchini
- 2 capsicum
- 1 cup rice, yields approx.3 cups cooked
Sweet chilli sauce
- ⅓ cup sweet chilli, see note 2
- 3 tablespoon white wine vinegar, subs note 3
- 2 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 cloves garlic, fresh recommended
- 1 teaspoon ginger, fresh recommended
- 1 teaspoon chilli flakes, adjust to preferences
Instructions
Preparing
- Drain the 450 g (1 lb) extra firm tofu and wrap it in several sheets of paper towel or a clean tea towel. Place it between two cutting boards or plates and set something heavy on top, such as a large pan or stack of books.
- Press the tofu for 15–20 minutes to remove excess moisture. Replace the paper towel if it becomes saturated.
- While waiting for the tofu to press, thinly slice or dice into even pieces 1 onion, 1 zucchini, 2 capsicum.
- Finely dice or grate the 2 cloves garlic and 1 tsp ginger then combine with the ⅓ cup sweet chilli, 3 tbsp white wine vinegar, 2 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tsp chilli flakes. Mix well and set aside.
- Cut the pressed tofu into evenly sized cubes. Add it to a large bowl with 2 tbsp cornflour, 2 tsp paprika, 1 tbsp soy sauce tossing gently until evenly seasoned. Avoid leaving thick patches of cornflour, as these can become gummy once the sauce is added.
- Rinse and cook the 1 cup rice according to the packet instructions or using your preferred method or follow my tips and tricks
Cooking
- Heat a thin layer of cooking oil in a large wok or frying pan over medium-high heat.
- Add the onion and cook for 2–3 minutes, stirring regularly, until it begins to soften and develop a little colour. Remove it from the pan and set aside.
- Add the tofu in a single layer, leaving space between the cubes. Cook for 6–8 minutes, turning every few minutes, until several sides are golden and the cornflour coating feels firm.Note – If you can't fit the tofu in one uncrowded layer, cook in two batches as overcrowding traps steam and prevents the cubes from browning.
- Return the onion to the pan and add the zucchini and capsicum. Stir fry for 1–2 minutes when meal prepping, or approximately 3 minutes when serving immediately, until brightly coloured and just tender.
- Pour the prepared sweet chilli sauce into the pan. Gently toss until the tofu and vegetables are evenly coated.
- Allow the sauce to come to a gentle bubble, then reduce the heat to low. Cook for another 1–3 minutes until the sauce becomes glossy and clings to the tofu.
- Remove the pan from the heat while the sauce is still slightly loose when preparing the recipe for meal prep. It will thicken further as it cools and during refrigeration.
- Divide the cooked rice between four bowls or meal-prep containers and add the sweet chilli tofu.
Notes
Note 1 – Extra firm tofu
Extra firm tofu holds its shape during pressing and stir-frying; soft or silken tofu contains too much water and will break apart. Note 2 – Sweet chilli
Choose a thicker sweet chilli sauce with a higher chilli percentage for more flavour and a sauce that clings to the tofu. Note 3 – White wine vinegar
White wine vinegar balances the sweetness, but rice wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar can be substituted. Storage
Store the sweet chilli tofu and rice on opposite sides of an airtight glass container in the fridge for up to 4-5 days. Reheating
Add a small drizzle of water and microwave in 1-minute intervals for approximately 2–3 minutes, gently stirring between intervals until steaming hot. Freezing
Freeze the tofu and vegetables separately from the rice for up to 3 months, noting that defrosted tofu will have a slightly chewier and more porous texture.
Extra firm tofu holds its shape during pressing and stir-frying; soft or silken tofu contains too much water and will break apart. Note 2 – Sweet chilli
Choose a thicker sweet chilli sauce with a higher chilli percentage for more flavour and a sauce that clings to the tofu. Note 3 – White wine vinegar
White wine vinegar balances the sweetness, but rice wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar can be substituted. Storage
Store the sweet chilli tofu and rice on opposite sides of an airtight glass container in the fridge for up to 4-5 days. Reheating
Add a small drizzle of water and microwave in 1-minute intervals for approximately 2–3 minutes, gently stirring between intervals until steaming hot. Freezing
Freeze the tofu and vegetables separately from the rice for up to 3 months, noting that defrosted tofu will have a slightly chewier and more porous texture.
Nutrition
Calories: 455kcalCarbohydrates: 84gProtein: 20gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 1410mgPotassium: 792mgFiber: 5gSugar: 22gVitamin A: 3470IUVitamin C: 117mgCalcium: 102mgIron: 4mg
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