Fried Tofu and Cabbage

Fried Tofu and Cabbage are my go-to if I want to prepare a meatless dish. Crispy fried tofu with sauteed cabbage, combined with a delicious chili sauce. The oil was infused with garlic and mixed with finely chopped dried red chilis. The sauce is sweet and tangy with a hint of chili oil. Serve over rice.

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meatless dinner

My family loves meat, and sometimes we like to prepare something meatless. We eat a lot of vegetables and fish. My grandma loves to garden, I grew up knowing we can always go to the backyard and harvest something from our garden. I like eating tofu with any vegetable and some kind of sauce. This Fried Tofu and Cabbage is the perfect dish for a meatless Monday!

ingredients and substitutions

THE SAUCE:

• Soy sauce – I like using light soy sauce, I can always add more if needed.
• Oyster sauce – adds sweetness and boosts umami flavor.
• Rice vinegar – a touch of tanginess
• Brown sugar – balances the acidity and sweetness
• Garlic and Ginger – aromatics
• Cornstarch – for thickening the sauce

THE CHILI OIL:

• Neutral oil – you can use canola, vegetable, or avocado oil (high smoke point)
• Annatto seeds – if you can’t find the seeds, you can use annatto powder. Annatto gives a nice bright color to the oil.
• Garlic – is used to infuse the oil.
• Salt – to taste. 

THE TOFU AND CABBAGE:

• Fried tofu – buy the fried tofu from the grocery store or buy the firm tofu and fry them. 
• Green cabbage is mild in flavor when cooked, and it goes so well with the sauce and fried tofu. 

SUBSTITUTIONS:

• If you’re a Pescatarian, you can use any fish you like or shrimp instead of tofu
• For the chili oil – you can buy the bottled chili oil and add it to the sauce
• I like using the regular Oyster Sauce, but there’s also a vegetarian oyster sauce that is made from mushrooms if you’re not a fan of oysters. 
• For the cabbage – you can use Napa cabbage or any vegetables will work.

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watch how to make Fried tofu and cabbage

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Fried Tofu and Cabbage

Jen Paleracio

Crispy tofu with chili sauce on a bed of sauteed green cabbage.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Course Main Course, Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine Chinese, Filipino

Equipment

• Nonstick skillet
• Tongs
• Spatula or turner
• knife
• cutting board
• Measuring cups and spoons

Ingredients

  

FOR THE CHILI OIL

• 10 pieces dried chilies. minced
• 1 tablespoon Annatto seeds or a teaspoon of annatto powder
• 1/2 cup neutral oil, canola, or vegetable oil
• 8 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

FOR THE SAUCE

• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 garlic clove, grated
• 1 inch sized ginger, grated
• 2 teaspoon cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons chili oil

FOR TOFU

• 14 oz firm tofu, 2" thick sliced
• 3 tablespoons oil

FOR THE CABBAGE

• 2 cups chopped green cabbage
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon red chili pepper flakes

Instructions

 

FOR THE CHILI OIL

• Soak the dried chilies in water for at least 30-40 minutes or until they softened. Finely chop them and set them aside.
• Heat a nonstick skillet with oil. Add the annatto seeds, and stir constantly until the oil turns into bright golden yellow. Strain the oil, and discard the seeds.
• Add the oil back to the same pan, wait until heated, then add the garlic. Constantly stir the garlic until they turn a slightly golden color. Add the chilies, and continue stirring until well heated. Remove the chili oil from the pan, and set them aside.

FOR THE SAUCE

• In a saucepan, combine soy sauce, oyster sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, cornstarch, and chili oil.
• Stir until the cornstarch dissolved. Medium heat, stir and simmer the sauce until thickened. Set it aside.

FOR THE TOFU

• Drain and slice the block of tofu into 2" thick. Use a paper towel to pat them dry (dry them completely).
• Heat a nonstick skillet with oil. Add the tofu, and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Careful with oil splatter.
• Remove the tofu from the pan, and set them aside to cool. Cut the fried tofu into bite-sized pieces. Set them aside.

FOR THE CABBAGE

• Heat a wok or wide pan with oil. Add the cabbage, salt, garlic powder, and red chili pepper flakes.
• Stir to combine, and cook the cabbage until wilted.
• Transfer the cooked cabbage to a platter, and top with fried tofu and chili sauce. Sprinkle with green onions.

Notes

 

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE? Tag @leanbellaskitchen and hashtag #leanbellaskitchen

Keyword cabbage, chili sauce, fried tofu

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Hi there! Nice to meet you. My name is Jen.

I’m a mom of 2 wonderful girls. I love to prepare and cook home-cooked meals. Cooking and planning your meals might sound like another chore added to your already long list of things to do. Believe me, I’ve been there. However, cooking more meals at home is worth all the effort.  After years of cooking for my family and teaching culinary classes, I can honestly say that I have more control over the quality of the ingredients I use. That means I’m eating a lot better. Eating healthy doesn’t have to be boring and you don’t have to eat the same thing repeatedly. There are ways we can do and naturally enhance the flavor of our food and enjoy home-cooked meals. 

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