This recipe isn’t just delicious – it’s packed with all the nutrients your body needs to feel energized, healthy, and strong. It’s full of plant-based protein, healthy fats, and plenty of vitamins and minerals that support everything from bone health to heart health and immunity. Plus, it’s cholesterol-free and low in saturated fat, making it a heart-healthy choice for any meal!
Anti-Inflammatory 🔥
Gochujang and chilis contain capsaicin, which has anti-inflammatory properties. It helps reduce inflammation and may even boost metabolism.
Antioxidant Power 🧑🔬
Garlic and chilis provide antioxidants that help fight oxidative stress and support overall health.
Blood Sugar Friendly 🍚
With most of the ingredients being low glycemic, this recipe won’t cause a rapid spike in blood sugar, providing steady energy throughout the day.
Method
Step 1: Prepare the Tofu
Take the tofu out of the packaging, give it a good pat-down with some paper towels or whatever you usually use to dry tofu. Cut it into cubes and stash them away for frying later. If you're up for a little extra crunch, you can toss the tofu in some cornflour and a pinch of salt – it takes a bit more effort, but the added texture can be totally worth it. To knock it up another notch, you might even tear the tofu into chunks before giving it a floury coat for some diverse textures.
Step 2: Prepare Garlic and Chilis
Finely slice the garlic and chilis into strips and set them aside in a bowl.
Step 3: Fry the Tofu
Begin shallow frying the tofu until it turns a lovely golden brown. If you've coated it in cornflour, be cautious as they tend to stick together. Aim for a medium-high heat, whatever that actually means. Once golden brown, place on a plate with a paper towel to absorb the excess oil.
Step 4: Fry Garlic and Chilis
After frying all the tofu, dispose of any excess oil properly, but leave enough in the pan for frying. Heat the oil again and place one heaped spoonful of gochujang on one side of the frying pan to warm it up. On the other side, add the chopped chilis and garlic, ensuring they're in oil as the gochujang will absorb a lot of the oil in the pan.
Step 5: Add Peanut Butter and Mix
After about 30-60 seconds, add two heaped spoonfuls of your preferred peanut butter (generally maintaining a 2:1 ratio of peanut butter to gochujang). Once the garlic starts to crisp, mix everything together with a little mug of water and some soy sauce, allowing it to reduce down (tbh the mug of water is a guess, I just eyeball it so good luck x).
Step 6: Final Touches When the sauce reaches the thickness you desire, add some lime or lemon juice and rice vinegar and let it sit for a minute. Then, toss in your fried tofu, and it's ready to enjoy! 😊
🍚 Serving Suggestions
This dish pairs wonderfully with:
- Fragrant basmati rice
- Crispy kale
- Your choice of fried greens, such as bok choy or broccoli
Enjoy this easy-to-make, nutrient-packed dish that’s sure to fuel you up for the day ahead! 🌱