“I don’t like tofu because it’s so bland”. I’m sure most of us have heard (or said) it at some point. My first encounter with it wasn’t much fun either. I expected it to be feta cheese and then….well you can picture the rest haha.
But if you pan-fry it until crispy (air frying or baking works too), and then glaze it with delicious sauce….that is a totally different story.
Like this sweet and spicy Mango Habanero Tofu! 🥭🌶
Ingredients
Mango Habanero Sauce:
- 1-2 ripe mangos about 1 cup chopped *
- 2-3 habaneros
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 small carrot roughly chopped
- 1/2 tbsp ginger grated
- 1/4 cup rice vinegar
- 2 tbsp maple syrup or agave syrup
- Juice of 2 limes plus a tsp of lime zest
- 1/2 cup water
- Salt to taste
Tofu:
- 1 block super firm also known as high protein tofu
- A generous pinch salt
- 1-2 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tbsp avocado oil
Instructions
- Attention: Habaneros are very spicy! Take out the seeds, only use 1, replace with jalapeños or just omit completely if you’re sensitive to spice! And don’t forget to wash hands thoroughly after handling them!
- Add all ingredients for the sauce except lime juice to a blender, and blend until smooth.
- Bring sauce to a boil while whisking continuously until it thickens. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add lime juice at the end, and season to taste with salt.
- Refrigerate in a clean glass jar.
- Cut tofu in half horizontally, and pat away any moisture with a clean kitchen towel. Cut the 2 pieces into bite-sized cubes, season them with salt, and dust with cornstarch until evenly coated. I use a small sieve for that, but you can also dip the pieces in cornstarch and shake off any excess powder.
- Brush a cast iron skillet with avocado oil, bring it to medium heat, and fry tofu pieces from all sides until golden. Flip them around after 2-3 minutes on each side.
- Toss them with the mango habanero sauce (I used a little more than 1/2 a cup), and let everything cook on low heat for 5-10 minutes until every piece is evenly coated and lightly caramelized.
- Enjoy!
Notes
*My preferred mangos are Ataulfo mangos (smallish yellow ones) which is why I need 2 of them.
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