Vietnamese vegetarian lemongrass tofu recipe
Tofu is a powerhouse ingredient in vegetarian cooking. Packed with protein, it’s incredibly versatile and brilliantly sponge-like in its ability to absorb different flavours.
This recipe is the perfect example. From author and food photographer Uyen Luu’s latest book, Vietnamese Vegetarian: Simple Vegetarian Recipes from a Vietnamese Home Kitchen, it sees tofu marinated in a fragrant lemongrass, soy and chilli sauce, with delicious results.
Uyen recommends using medium-firm tofu for this dish, adding that it works really well as a topping for a noodle salad, or as a filling for refreshing summer rolls or bánh mì. Perfect for sharing with family and friends, she describes it as “a must-have in your repertoire”, and we’re inclined to agree.
Beautifully styled and photographed, Vietnamese Vegetarian is brimming with bright and flavourful recipes that not only fuse tradition and innovation, but also demonstrate just how versatile and vegetarian-friendly Vietnamese cooking is.
Things to note:
This recipe requires you to marinate the tofu for at least 30 minutes, or overnight in the fridge.
For added heat, double the amount of bird’s eye chillies and add to taste.
For US ingredients and measurements, use the drop-down menu and select ‘Cups’.
Ingredients
- 1 shallot, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 bird’s eye chilli, finely chopped (optional)
- 1 lemongrass stalk, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp premium quality soy sauce
- 1.5 tbsp vegetarian oyster sauce
- 1.5 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tbsp black vinegar (or cider vinegar)
- 300 g medium-firm tofu, sliced into 1 cm batons
- 2 tbsp cooking oil
- 50 - 70 ml coconut water or aloe vera juice
- 30 g coriander leaves or Thai basil, coarsely chopped
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
Details
- Cuisine: Vietnamese
- Recipe Type: Vegetarian
- Difficulty: Easy
- Preparation Time: 15 mins
- Cooking Time: 25 mins
- Serves: 4
Step-by-step
- Mix the shallot, garlic, chilli and lemongrass in a large bowl with the soy sauce, vegetarian oyster sauce, maple syrup and vinegar.
- Add the sliced tofu to the bowl and leave to marinate at room temperature for at least 30 minutes, or in the fridge overnight.
- Remove the tofu from the marinade. Set a large frying pan (skillet) with the oil over a medium heat, then add the tofu batons and fry for 5 minutes on each side, or until golden.
- Pour in the marinade and 50ml coconut water or aloe vera juice and leave to sizzle for a further 3-5 minutes, adding more coconut water or aloe vera juice if the mix seems too dry. Stir in the coriander (cilantro) or Thai basil at the last minute.
- Sprinkle with the sesame seeds and serve at once with steamed rice or in vermicelli noodle salad bowls. Alternatively, use as a filling for summer rolls or bánh mì.
Recipe adapted from Vietnamese Vegetarian: Simple Vegetarian Recipes from a Vietnamese Home Kitchen by Uyen Luu (Hardie Grant, £25). Photography: Uyen Luu.
Vietnamese Vegetarian by Uyen Luu
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