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Tofu in tomato sauce
Đậu sốt cà chua: golden fried tofu simmered in a glossy fresh tomato and spring onion sauce
Đậu sốt cà chua is one of the most-loved home dishes in Vietnam, cooked on weeknights from Hanoi to Saigon and eaten with steamed rice and a simple vegetable soup. Golden fried tofu is simmered in a sauce of fresh tomatoes cooked down with shallot and garlic until sweet, tangy and glossy. Fish sauce is replaced here with soy sauce. Chef's tip: cook the tomatoes on their own until they collapse completely into a thick sauce before the tofu goes back in; if you rush this, you get watery pink tomatoes instead of a rich, clinging sauce.
- Total time
- 25 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 3
Ingredients
- 1 ⅛ lb firm tofupatted dry, cut into 3 cm cubes
- 4 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 shallotsfinely chopped
- 2 cloves garlicfinely chopped
- 3 spring onionswhites and greens sliced separately
- 1 ⅛ lb ripe tomatoesabout 4, cut into small wedges
- 1 tbsp tomato purée (optional)
- 1 ½ tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp sugar
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ cup water
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 handful fresh coriander (optional)chopped
- 3 bowls steamed jasmine riceto serve
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Heat 4 tbsp vegetable oil in a non-stick frying pan over a medium-high heat. Fry 1 ⅛ lb firm tofu in one layer for 6–8 minutes, turning with chopsticks, until golden and crisp on all sides. Lift onto a plate and pour off all but 1 tbsp of the oil.
8 minStep 2: Over a medium heat, fry 2 shallots, 2 cloves garlic and the 3 spring onions whites for 1 minute, until fragrant but not brown.
Step 3: Add 1 ⅛ lb ripe tomatoes and 1 tbsp tomato purée with ½ tsp salt, which draws out the juice. Cook for 4–5 minutes, pressing the wedges with a spoon, until they have collapsed into a thick, glossy sauce and the oil turns orange.
5 minStep 5: Return the tofu and turn it gently in the sauce. Simmer for 2–3 minutes, spooning the sauce over, until the tofu is hot and coated and the sauce clings.
3 minStep 6: Scatter with the 3 spring onions greens, ½ tsp black pepper and 1 handful fresh coriander and serve hot with 3 bowls steamed jasmine rice.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 420 kcal
- Protein
- 24 g
- Carbs
- 42 g
- Fat
- 18 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
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Good to know
- How long does tofu in tomato sauce take?
- About 25 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 15 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 3 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- What can I use instead of shallots?
- Half an onion per 2 shallots.
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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