Mai

Sometimes, the humblest dishes taste the best- not because they are made from the fanciest ingredients or using the most complex techniques, but because they evoke so many memories and emotions. Fried tofu is one of those things for me.

Tofu has such a fascinating connotation in the US. According to Wikipedia, the term “tofu curtain” refers to a cultural or socioeconomic divide between two geographic regions and the people who reside in them, with tofu being associated with vegan/vegetarianism, elitism, and left wing politics.

In Vietnam, however, tofu is an incredibly frugal everyday ingredient, eaten and beloved by all. While Vietnamese vegans eat more tofu, it is commonly found on dinner tables right alongside or even in dishes with meat.

In Hà Nội especially, handmade tofu from the Mơ area is seen as the crème de la crème, with techniques that have been passed down for generations. The flavors are truly unmatched.

If you want to find truly good tofu in the US, we recommend looking for small-batch artisanal tofu brands like Jenny’s Tofu out of Chicago (not sponsored, we just love their tofu so much). If you have only ever had mass-produced tofu from big grocery stores, you haven’t tasted real tofu.

This fried tofu dipped in a green onion fish sauce-sugar mix is still simple but takes things up a notch. It was a staple in the north of Vietnam during Thời Bao Cấp- the Subsidy period after the US war ended, between 1975 and 1986. Vietnam was dealing with the aftermath of the war and most private commerce was eliminated. Goods and services were redeemed with tem phiếu- vouchers that were provided by the government. It was a time of struggle and as with times of scarcity elsewhere in the world, people had to get creative to make the most out of their limited resources.

Even after the hard times passed, it still remains a beloved home-cooked dish because it’s really just delicious. The sauce is sweet, savory, and umami. The tofu is tender on the inside; golden and crispy on the outside at first, then becomes a fun chewy texture once it soaks up the sauce. The green onion is bright and adds freshness. The flavors of this dish are so familiar to me that I can just close my eyes and almost taste them.

You can also make this vegan by replacing the fish sauce with vegan fish sauce or soy sauce.

INGREDIENTS

• Tofu – Đậu phụ/đậu hũ: Firm tofu is best for this recipe. Since it is the star of the show and we’re not using it as a meat replacement, a high quality tofu with good flavors is important. I recommend finding local small-batch artisanal tofu brands. When we lived in the U.S., my favorite was Jenny’s Tofu.
• Green onion – Hành lá: I recommend choosing, if possible, thinner and younger stalks of green onions as they will be more tender texture and taste better raw.
• Fish sauce – Nước mắm: arguably the most important seasoning sauce in Vietnamese cuisine. Made from fermented anchovies, it is salty and incredibly umami. Non-vegan Vietnamese recipes without fish sauce are very rare. The best nước mắm comes from Phú Quốc or surrounding islands off the coast- Southwest of mainland Vietnam. Our favorite brand available outside of Vietnam is Red Boat (U.S.). True high quality Vietnamese fish sauce does not have any sugar and has a high protein (i.e. umami) content. If you use a fish sauce with added sugar or lower protein level, adjust the amount of fish sauce and sugar to taste. Replace with vegan fish sauce or soy sauce for a vegan version.
• MSG – Mì chính/bột ngọt: good old MSG in pure form. MSG is actually used in many snacks and packaged foods, you just don’t know it. Used instead of bouillon when you want to add flavor but not too much salt. This is optional, but highly recommended because it adds just that perfect umami touch.
• White granulated sugar – Đường cát trắng
• Neutral frying oil – Dầu ăn

DIRECTIONS

1. Chop green onion greens into 1/2 cm pieces.
2. In a medium bowl, add the sugar, MSG, fish sauce, and drinking water. I recommend microwaving the water for 20 seconds beforehand as this will help the sugar dissolve quicker.
3. Stir until the sugar has fully dissolved.
4. Add in the chopped green onion and set aside.
5. Drain, rinse, and pat dry the tofu.
6. Cut tofu cut into 1-1.5cm thick slices, then into pieces about 5 cm by 3 cm. This will give you a good crispy outside to tender inside ratio.
7. Heat vegetable oil in a large frying pan on medium low. Test your oil by dipping in wooden chopstick or another wooden utensil. When you see rapid bubbles, the oil is ready.
8. Add the tofu pieces in a single layer, make sure there is some space in-between so that they are not touching.
9. Fry the tofu for about 10 minutes on either side until golden all around (about 20 minutes total). This takes a bit of time and patience but do not increase your heat, the tofu will become tough and will not have an even color all around.
   If you’re using a stainless steel pan, do not force flip the tofu until it has formed a crust and released itself.
10. When the tofu is almost ready, make sure your bowl of sauce and the plate you want to use for serving are set up next to the stove.
11. As soon as a piece of tofu is done, use chopsticks or tongs to remove it from the pan and submerge into sauce, then scoop up some green onion with the piece of tofu and place it on the serving plate.
12. Repeat this step for the rest of the pieces of tofu as they become ready.
13. If you have some sauce leftover after you are done with all the tofu, pour the remaining sauce and green onion over the top of the tofu.
14. Enjoy as a side or main with white rice!

RECIPE VIDEO

Đậu phụ rán tẩm hành • Fried tofu with sweet & savory green onion sauce

Course: Main, SideCuisine: VietnameseDifficulty: Easy

Makes

2

servings

Prep time

5

minutes

Cooking time

25

minutes

Total time

30

minutes

Delicious golden fried tofu doused in a sweet & savory sauce made with green onion, fish sauce (or soy sauce), and sugar.

Ingredients

• 400 g 400 tofu (firm)

• 60 g 60 green onion greens (see notes)

• 3 tsp 3 white granulated sugar

• 1/2 tsp 1/2 MSG (optional, but recommended)

• 3 tbsp 3 fish sauce (vegan alternative: vegan fish sauce or soy sauce)

• 120 ml 120 water

• Neutral oil for frying (vegetable, canola, etc.)

Directions

• Chop green onion greens into 1/2 cm pieces.
• In a medium bowl, add the sugar, MSG, fish sauce, and drinking water. I recommend microwaving the water for 20 seconds beforehand as this will help the sugar dissolve quicker.
• Stir until the sugar has fully dissolved.
• Add in the chopped green onion and set aside.
• Drain, rinse, and pat dry the tofu.
• Cut tofu cut into 1-1.5cm thick slices, then into pieces about 5 cm by 3 cm. This will give you a good crispy outside to tender inside ratio.
• Heat vegetable oil in a large frying pan on medium low. Test your oil by dipping in wooden chopstick or another wooden utensil. When you see rapid bubbles, the oil is ready.
• Add the tofu pieces in a single layer, make sure there is some space in-between so that they are not touching.
• Fry the tofu for about 10 minutes on either side until golden all around (about 20 minutes total). This takes a bit of time and patience but do not increase your heat, the tofu will become tough and will not have an even color all around.
  If you’re using a stainless steel pan, do not force flip the tofu until it has formed a crust and released itself.
• When the tofu is almost ready, make sure your bowl of sauce and the plate you want to use for serving are set up next to the stove.
• As soon as a piece of tofu is done, use chopsticks or tongs to remove it from the pan and submerge into sauce, then scoop up some green onion with the piece of tofu and place it on the serving plate.
• Repeat this step for the rest of the pieces of tofu as they become ready.
• If you have some sauce leftover after you are done with all the tofu, pour the remaining sauce and green onion over the top of the tofu.
• Enjoy as a side or main with white rice!

Recipe Video

Notes

• I prefer to use only the green tops of green onions because the white parts taste stronger and take away from the rest of the flavors, but it is up to your personal preference.

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