This is the most fragrant lemongrass sauce I’ve ever eaten with tofu. Simply marinate for 30 mins, then fry until coloured, done!
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It may not be the quickest and easiest tofu like Tofu in Comforting Tomato Sauce, or Sesame Crispy Tofu made in 15 mins, but the lemongrass sauce is REALLY FRAGRANT that I’m willing to pay a little more effort to get it right.
If you have ever bought one then you’ll know – lemongrass is fibrous and firm. It’s not easy to very finely chop it unless you use a good food processor. So, if using a kind-of-chopped lemongrass to marinate the tofu, you’ll end up disappoint with the grainy lemongrass gets on every bite.
One solution is to grate the lemongrass. However, if the lemongrass is dried and hard, like mine, it took me more than 15 minutes to grate one stalk. It can be frustrating, yet, it’s doable. So, knowing how to pick the best lemongrass is definitely an advantage.
I learned this tofu recipe from Uyen Luu’s cookbook, Vietnamese Vegetarian, and I think it’s brilliant!
Now, let’s see how to make it!
Lemongrass Tofu Recipe
This lemongrass tofu is slightly sweet with an irresistible lemongrass aroma. Char it with care, and you’ll have a good vegetarian protein to go with rice.
Ingredients
Serves 2-3
- 250 g firm tofu
- 1 tsp toasted sesame
- fresh coriander leaves for garnish
For the Marinade
- 1 stalk of lemongrass
- 1 round shallot, finely diced
- 1 clove garlic, finely diced
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 ½ tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 ½ tbsp honey/maple syrup
- 1 tbsp cider vinegar/black vinegar
- 3 tbsp water
How to Make
- Pat dry the tofu and cut into blocks.
- Grate the lemongrass in a large bowl. Remove the outer part if it’s too hard and fibrous to grate. Then add all the ingredients for marinade. Tip the tofu into the bowl, gently mix well and try not to break the tofu. Let it marinate for at least 30 minutes.
- Heat a tbsp of oil in a pan over medium heat, fry both sides of the tofu for a couple of minutes until nicely coloured. Watch the heat as the honey/maple syrup can get burnt easily.
- Add the rest of the marinade to cook for a minute or so. Sprinkle in toasted sesame and garnish with coriander before serving.
More Easy and Tasty Tofu Recipes
- Everyday Tofu with Spinach, Tomato and Basil
- Simple Tofu Recipe in Comforting Tomato Sauce
- Sesame Crispy Tofu Recipe in 15 mins (No Deep-fry)
- 【Vegan】Steamed Fish Sauce on Tofu
- Scallion Soy Sauce Warm Tofu
- 【Vegan】Chilled Tofu with Coriander Sesame Oil
