There's not much I can say about this honey soy tofu, other than wow. This is undoubtedly the best tofu recipe I have ever made, ever. In fact, I'd go so far to say it's the best tofu I've ever eaten anywhere - whether at a restaurant or at home.
Huh, I guess I kind of just said that this recipe is better than Chinese food cooked by actual Chinese people.
Maybe I'm stretching here...
But either way, it was bloomin' delicious. I actually cooked it again about two days later because I was still dreaming about it.
Far from being the squishy, tasteless tofu that I'm sure we've all had at one point or another, this honey soy tofu is crispy, it's chewy, it's salty and sweet, it's sticky... it's all good things in one.
The trick is to fry the tofu until it's nice and crispy before adding your sauce. You want it golden brown all over. If I'm entirely honest, I barely even pressed the tofu beforehand on this occasion (purely out of laziness). I gave it a quick squeeze between two layers of towel, but I didn't leave it sat under heavy objects for half an hour like I usually do. It turned out just as good the lazy way, so maybe the whole 'pressing tofu' thing is just a con. Who knows. I'm very glad about it though, since it means I can shave half an hour off all my tofu recipes!
Once you've got beautifully crispy tofu, add the simple honey soy sauce, and let it bubble away for a bit to get nice and sticky. If you need your tofu to be vegan, just use a vegan alternative to the honey - the second time I made this, I used coconut nectar, which worked beautifully.
Then just serve it up! I topped it with some fresh coriander and chopped cashews, alongside some egg fried rice and stir-fried veggies - but you can serve it however you like.
However you serve your honey soy tofu, please just make sure you try it - you won't regret it!
Honey soy tofu
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Print Pin CommentIngredients
- 200 g extra firm tofu (one thick slice measuring ~ 4 x 5 inches)
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 3 tablespoon dark soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon honey (or vegan alternative)
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- ¼ teaspoon Chinese five spice
- Black pepper
- Fresh coriander (cilantro), to serve
- Cashew nuts, chopped, to serve (optional)
Instructions
- Drain the tofu, and squeeze it between two towels to remove any excess water. Cut it into 1cm dice.
- Heat the oil in a large frying pan, and add the diced tofu. Cook over a medium heat for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the tofu is golden brown and crispy all over.
- Meanwhile, in a small jug, combine the soy sauce, honey, ginger, garlic and five spice, along with a good pinch of black pepper. Mix well.
- When the tofu is crispy, pour over the sauce, and mix to combine. Allow the mixture to bubble a little, until it has reduced by half, and is thick and sticky.
- Serve the honey soy tofu topped with fresh coriander and chopped cashew nuts.
Nutritional information is approximate, and will depend on your exact ingredients. Please calculate your own nutritional values if you require accuracy for health reasons.
Note: Nutritional information is approximate, and will depend on exactly what ingredients you choose.
Here's another yummy tofu dish I've shared recently - red Thai satay tofu (a cross between a Thai curry sauce and a peanutty satay!)
Demetria says
OMG this was ssoooo goood! I just made it for dinner and the kiddies ate it up. My only recommendation is using two packages of tofu so the cook can eat more too???
Becca @ Amuse Your Bouche says
Haha yay I'm so glad you all enjoyed it. It's definitely worth doubling the recipe :D
Ashley says
The honey-to-soy-sauce ratio in this recipe is perfect! I loved the flavor. I didn't have all of the ingredients for this recipe, but it STILL turned out great! My sauce consisted of the honey, soy sauce, and some garlic powder. I can't even imagine how good it would've been if I'd had all of the ingredients. Thanks for sharing!
Becca @ Amuse Your Bouche says
Thanks Ashley, so glad you liked it! It's hard to go wrong with honey and soy sauce :D
Helen at Casa Costello says
Blimey it takes a lot to entice me to tofu but you have managed it! Looks dark, sticky and full of flavour - Cashew nuts would just go just perfectly.
Becca @ Amuse Your Bouche says
Haha yes it can sometimes not be the nicest, but this tofu was so so good. Try it! :)
Diana says
I love crisp tofu, I'm definitely going to they this recipe!
Jen says
Ooooh I have some tofu that I need to use so this is perfect timing...lunch just got sorted :D
Jack Lira says
I love tofu.
Anne Murphy says
Oh, yes, I prefer tofu cooked like that until firm and a little crisp and golden! (An easy version of pressing? Just wrap it in a clean dishtowel or paper towel and let it sit a while - no weight. It absorbs a surprising amount of water that you then don't have to cook out...)
And that sauce sounds delicious.
Becca @ Amuse Your Bouche says
That's basically what I did this time :) I wrapped it in a towel, gave it a little squeeze in my hands, then left it sitting there for a couple of minutes while I prepared a couple of other bits. It really worked! :)
Jessica {Swanky Recipes} says
Love all the fresh herbs you paired with the tofu and the honey sounds amazing. Beautiful photos and the rice and veggie side looks amazing too!
SueJ says
This looks yummy - and I don't usually go for tofu!! The things in Restaurantware look fab too - next time I have a party I will have to check them out. ?
Jemma @ Celery and Cupcakes says
It's been a while since I've cooked tofu, but you have convinced me to give it a go again. Looks lovely!
Becca @ Amuse Your Bouche says
Thanks Jemma! I'm not always a huge fan, but if you do it right, it can be so so good :)