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Lazy Cat Kitchen

A food blog with plant-based recipes from all over the world

Vietnamese tofu

May 29, 2019 by Ania - 26

Asian-inspired, gluten-free, healthy, tofugo to recipe

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vietnamese tofu plate

Hope your weekend was peachy, guys? Ours was pretty nice apart from wasting some time in Accident and Emergency and getting exasperated by the state of the health system. For the last 9 days, I have been suffering from some very unpleasant skin sensations on one side of my back. The skin itches, tingles and burns (especially at night) yet there does not seem to be any outward signs of anything being wrong other than three smallish red bumps, which don’t appear to change as the days go by…

Initially, I concluded that I must have been bitten by something and intended to let my body deal with it, but as the symptoms worsened I attempted to make an appointment with my GP. No such luck! No appointments for like forever (over a week to be exact). So I went to a pharmacy and asked for a consultation, which was a waste of time as the pharmacist simply laughed at me as he could not see anything. Really, dude? I appreciate that the lack of obvious skin changes poses a difficulty for him, but he could have been a bit kinder about it. I did not appreciate being treated as a hypochondriac.

When the itching got so bad that it woke me up at 4 AM on Sunday and kept me awake till dawn, I got a bit more desperate. I decided to try my luck in a hospital walk-in centre for minor injuries. 2 hrs of waiting later, I wish I hadn’t. I got told that it is not an emergency and I need to see my GP. Grrr, thanks a bunch! Well, my GP appointment is finally coming up this Thursday and I am praying for this stubborn thing to either go away or at least get much worse or else I won’t get any medical help again.

To distract myself from my back, I’ve been cooking lots and this dish is the first one I’m excited to share with you. Like a few other recipes on this website, this dish was inspired by an extremely disappointing version I had recently at a restaurant. It sounded marvellous on the menu, but it did not live up to expectations. It was completely unseasoned and lacked any flavour whatsoever. The experience has inspired me to try and create a tastier version of it in my own kitchen and I am really happy with the outcome. Since I had lots of lemongrass stalks in my fridge (from my last trip to the Asian greengrocers where I tend to get overexcited and buy too much) I really went for it and used 5 lemongrass stalks in the sauce and I think that it is pretty well balanced, but you can probably get away with just 4 (I know that they tend to sell them in twos in UK supermarkets).

Traditionally, the tofu gets fried for this Vietnamese-inspired dish before it gets immersed in the flavoursome sauce, but if, like me, you are a little oil-phobic, I recommend baking the tofu in the oven instead. My rationale is that it makes the dish healthier and since the tofu gets served in the sauce it loses its crispy texture very quickly anyway, so you won’t miss out that much. Having said that, I did fry it for the photos as it simply looks better and that’s always an important consideration when it comes to the food photography.

PS: If you make my lemongrass tofu in tomato sauce, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram as @lazycatkitchen and use the #lazycatkitchen hashtag. I love seeing your takes on my recipes!

vietnamese tofu prep

vietnamese tofu sauce

vietnamese tofu pan close up

vietnamese tofu

4.86 from 7 votes
Print
  • makes: 4-5
  • prep: 15 min
  • cooking: 60 min

Ingredients

SAUCE

  • 5 stalks of lemongrass
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil (plus more if frying the tofu)
  • 4 small shallots, finely diced
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely diced
  • 2 Thai red chillies, sliced OR sambal oelek to taste
  • 2 tsp fresh grated ginger
  • ½ tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • 1 tsp sea salt, adjust to taste
  • 2 x 400 g / 14 oz can of quality peeled plum tomatoes or 6 medium ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped
  • ¼ tsp ground white pepper (or black if unavailable)
  • 1 tbsp lime juice, adjust to taste
  • 2 tsp coconut sugar (or other), adjust to taste

OPTIONAL SAUCE INGREDIENTS*

  • 5 cm / 2″ by 10 cm / 4″ piece of kombu (optional)
  • 1 dried shiitake mushroom (optional)

TOFU AND REMAINING INGREDIENTS

  • 400 g / 14 oz firm (cotton not silken) tofu, pressed well
  • 3 tbsp soy sauce (or tamari for GF version)
  • cornflour / cornstarch (optional)
  • 3 cups cooked rice
  • 2 spring onions, sliced finely, to garnish
  • fresh coriander and mint, to garnish

Method

SAUCE

  1. Remove the tough, outer layer of each lemongrass stalk and discard. Bash the stalks with a rolling pin until crushed then cut approx. 10 cm / 4 inches off the bottom of each lemongrass stalk – keep the tops to infuse the sauce with more flavour. Chop the bottoms very finely and set aside.
  2. Heat up 2 tablespoons of oil in a large frying pan. Once hot, add chopped shallots and fry them off gently until translucent.
  3. Next add in finely chopped lemongrass, garlic, chilli and ginger. Fry on a low heat, stirring frequently, until softened and fragrant.
  4. Add ground cumin, coriander and most of the salt. Fry the spices off for another second or two.
  5. Next add in tinned (or fresh) tomatoes and all their juices into the pan. Break up plum tomatoes with a wooden spoon and add 2 tins of water.
  6. Bring to a gentle boil. Add lemongrass tops, kombu and a dried shiitake (if using).
  7. Allow the sauce to simmer on a very low heat for about 45 minutes or so until excess water evaporates, tomatoes break down and the sauce thickens. If the water has evaporated and the tomatoes are still chunky, feel free to add another splash of water and make sure the pan is on a low heat. Traditionally, this sauce is meant to be fairly loose, but I like it a little bit thicker – adjust the consistency to your own taste.
  8. Remove lemongrass tops, kombu and shiitake (if using). Season with white pepper, more salt (if needed!), lime juice and coconut sugar. If you want the sauce to be smoother, blend it before serving.

TOFU

  1. Cube the tofu and marinate it in soy sauce / tamari until all of it gets absorbed by the tofu.
  2. FRYING

  3. If frying the tofu, sprinkle it with a thin film of cornflour / cornstarch just before you are ready to fry.
  4. Heat up 2 tbsp of frying oil and once the oil gets hot, place the tofu in the pan in a clockwise fashion. Fry for 2-3 minutes on one side before turning etc. Once done, place on a plate lined with a piece of paper towel.
  5. BAKING

  6. If baking the tofu, heat up the oven to 180° C / 355° C. Once the oven comes to temperature, bake the tofu for about 20-25 minute, turning it once half way through.

Notes

*Traditionally this sauce is flavoured with pungent fish sauce. If, like me, you have trouble finding a decent vegan equivalent, but enjoy the umami taste it adds, simply put one dried shiitake mushroom and a small piece of kombu into the sauce when it simmers. If you prefer a cleaner lemongrass flavour, skip both.

If you want more info on some of the ingredients that we use in our recipes, check out our glossary.
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This recipe has been written by Ania. She is the cook, stylist and photographer behind Lazy Cat Kitchen. You can read about her journey into food blogging here. You can also check her out on Pinterest and Instagram.

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    Comments

    Leave a comment

  1. Rachel Griffin says

    May 29, 2019 at 5:32 pm

    Sounds great, I’ll definitely try it!

    Reply
    • Ania says

      May 29, 2019 at 5:48 pm

      Great to hear, Rachel! I hope you’ll enjoy it! x Ania

      Reply
  2. Bob Bush says

    May 29, 2019 at 5:32 pm

    Such a beautiful looking dish! It has everything I love, from my favorite cuisine! Thank you so much!!!!

    Reply
    • Ania says

      May 29, 2019 at 5:49 pm

      Aw, thanks so much, Bob! I’m excited that you are thinking of making it and I really hope you’ll enjoy the flavour. x Ania

      Reply
  3. Duane Billingslea says

    May 29, 2019 at 6:42 pm

    A lovely recipe and thank you for sharing this.

    On a side note: did any one even bother to check you for shingles or measles? Since this is a personal issue, please do not answer here. I just bring it up out of frustration.

    Reply
    • Ania says

      May 29, 2019 at 11:55 pm

      Thank you!

      Funny you should say that, shingles was my guess too, but clearly my symptoms weren’t serious enough, not sure…

      Reply
  4. Corina says

    May 29, 2019 at 9:30 pm

    Is there any pain on your back?! It might be shingles (doc here 🙂

    Reply
    • Ania says

      May 29, 2019 at 11:58 pm

      Yes, there is. Not debilitating pain, but it’s certainly there and I am aware of it 24/7. I am seeing my GP tomorrow night so hopefully he won’t as dismissive as other have been. Thank you 🙂 x Ania

      Reply
  5. Nancy says

    May 30, 2019 at 12:38 am

    This will be Friday’s dinner! Good luck with the appointment, I’ve have the same symptoms you describe, I hope you get some resolve.

    Reply
    • Ania says

      May 30, 2019 at 12:30 pm

      Yay, I’m delighted to hear that! I hope you’ll enjoy this dish. Thank you (I am seeing my GP today) and I hope you will do too! x Ania

      Reply
  6. JulieT says

    May 30, 2019 at 1:07 am

    I was going to mention shingles also. AND I understand you can have shingles pain etc without an outward physical sign. It can affect the nerves without seeing it on the skin. Unusual but it can happen! So don’t let them make you think you are a hypochondriac and stay on it. There are antiviral meds that can really help the pain and symptoms! (Not a Doc! but have had several bouts starting in my 40’s so I feel your pain!) Hope you get some relief soon!

    Reply
    • Ania says

      May 30, 2019 at 12:32 pm

      Aw, thanks Julie, that’s so good to know as they have been making me feel like I’m making stuff up to get attention. Very frustrating. Sorry to hear you know all that from personal experience 🙁 I hope it won’t return again. x Ania

      Reply
  7. Afshan says

    May 30, 2019 at 1:21 pm

    I love your recipes and will surely try this one as my lemon grass plant needs some thinning out as well.
    On a side note, the three bumps and itchiness sounds a lot like bed bugs actually. Hope it heals!

    Reply
    • Ania says

      May 30, 2019 at 1:38 pm

      Thanks Afshan, I hope you’ll enjoy the recipe! X Ania

      PS: I see where you are coming from, but that’s extremely unlikely as I’ve just moved into a new house and have a brand new mattress and wooden floors (no carpet or rug).

      Reply
  8. Catríona Holden says

    May 30, 2019 at 3:16 pm

    Don’t want to be intrusive, could be a sign of kidney issues,head to a seasoned acupuncturist whilst waiting for your *doctor*-good luck C

    Reply
    • Ania says

      May 30, 2019 at 7:46 pm

      Thanks, Catríona, but I’ve just been to my GP and his diagnosis is shingles…:(. It was worth waiting 2 weeks to find that out 😛 . Ania

      Reply
  9. Grahame says

    June 1, 2019 at 11:17 pm

    Hi Ania, that’s a lovely recipe. I was determined to try it as we have a very good Vietnamese restaurant nearby, whose tofu is the best in the known universe. By coincidence, a friend called round tonight so I had a willing victim to try out the recipe, and got full marks from them, so thank you!
    I didn’t manage to find any coriander today, but it was just fine without it (I also used pre-marinated tofu to save hassle). But a big ‘thumbs up’ all round. Will definitely try this one again!
    Hope your shingles improve soonest.

    Reply
    • Ania says

      June 2, 2019 at 3:34 pm

      Thanks, Grahame! I’m glad you enjoyed it! And thanks, yes, my shingles seems to be on its way out, thankfully…x Ania

      Reply
  10. Makita says

    June 26, 2019 at 10:25 am

    I totally love tofu 🙂 Can you also recommend a wine which is suitable with this dish? Thanks, Makita

    Reply
    • Ania says

      June 26, 2019 at 10:49 am

      I imagine that a summery white would pair nicely, but I am not much of a drinker myself (or a wine buff) so cannot really help you here. Ania

      Reply
  11. Molly says

    March 5, 2020 at 7:31 am

    I made this tonight and it was very flavorful. I love lemongrass, but I had never cooked with it until now.
    I actually used soy curls instead of tofu just because I was making a cabbage and carrot slaw along with this that had tofu as well. The soy curls were good–but as you noted, any crispiness from pan-frying gets lost when it goes in the sauce. I’ll try baking next time for a healthier preparation.
    Fresh tomatoes worked really well too.
    I look forward to checking out more of your recipes.

    Reply
    • Ania says

      March 5, 2020 at 2:34 pm

      Thanks so much, Molly – I am delighted that you enjoyed it! x Ania

      Reply
  12. Pauline says

    June 7, 2020 at 9:42 pm

    First things first, this was delicious. The lemongrass flavour was lovely (although I did try to use fresh but it was a bit tough so used some lemongrass paste which I had in the fridge and used the fresh for flavour when simmering). I baked the tofu and that was perfect for us. Adding mint is such a great idea too it really compliments the dish. Will definitely make this again. Thanks

    Reply
    • Ania says

      June 8, 2020 at 4:52 pm

      Thanks Pauline, I am delighted to hear that you enjoyed it! And thank you for taking the time to let me and my readers know that you did – much appreciated! Ania

      Reply
  13. Nancy Reich says

    January 6, 2021 at 1:27 am

    Although you posted this quite some time ago, your skin condition on your back sounds like shingles. It’s from the chicken pox virus.

    Reply
    • Ania says

      January 6, 2021 at 2:49 pm

      Hi Nancy,

      Yes, it was! It is a distant memory now luckily. Ania

      Reply

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Ania Marcinowska
Hi, I'm Ania. I love good food but I love animals more! Adopting a plant-based diet has been the best decision I've made and that's how this blog was born. It's a space where I want to show you that creating delicious plant-based food isn't actually hard at all.
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