The tofu dish combined with shredded coconut that Apronese sent to you today is a strange and special dish for your whole family.
Delicious crispy tofu, golden brown, beautiful small coconut crumbs dipped with chili sauce, can be eaten as a snack, not bored.
Sweet Chili Dipping Sauce with Coconut Crusted Tofu
Marinating or Not Marinating Tofu
When I first tested this recipe, I marinated half of the tofu with a basic teriyaki-like mixture and left the other half unmarinated. As you might know if you have ever tried tofu, you probably know it has a fairly low flavor on its own, so it is extremely important to marinate the tofu before serving.
I actually preferred unmarinated tofu for this recipe, since I felt that the marinade totally overpowered the subtle coconut flavors and made them virtually undetectable.
It was the unmarinated tofu that had a subtle sweetness and coconut flavor, which made it the perfect base for the sweet tangy chili sauce. However, the marinated tofu simply had too much going on to take on its own flavor.
So just know that, on their own, these coconut crusted tofu triangles aren’t particularly special, but they really do go well together with the chili sauce.
Coconut Crusted Tofu with Sweet Chili Dipping Sauce
Coconut Crusted Tofu Dippers are a low-calorie, low-fat snack or part of your favorite bowl meal that are perfect with tangy sweet chili sauce. Serve them as a snack or with your favorite bowl meal for a satisfying snack.
Servings: 4 (3 pieces each)
Ingredients
- 14oz. block extra firm tofu ($1.99)
- 1 large egg ($0.27)
- 2 Tbsp cornstarch ($0.08)
- 1 Tbsp water ($0.00)
- Pinch Salt and pepper ($0.03)
- 1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes ($1.57)
- 2 Tbsp virgin coconut oil* ($0.05)
- 3 oz sweet chili sauce, for dipping
Instructions
- When you remove the tofu from the liquid-filled package, place it between a clean, lint-free dish towel and multiple layers of paper towel. Put the wrapped tofu on two plates, cutting boards, or baking sheets and place something heavy on top of them (I use a kettle or pot full of water). Put a lot of pressure on the tofu for about 30 minutes.
- In the next step, you should cut the tofu block in half. Then you should cut each half into three rectangles that are 1/4-inch thick (you can divide the “thickness” of the block into three pieces). Now cut each rectangle into two triangles. There should now be 12 triangles that are 1/4-inch thick.
- You will need two bowls, one for the egg mixture, one for the cornstarch and water mixture, and one for the unsweetened coconut. In the first bowl, whisk together the egg, cornstarch, water, salt, and pepper until a smooth paste is formed. In the second bowl, stir together the coconut.
- Place each coconut coated tofu triangle on the cutting board until all pieces are coated with coconut flakes. Dip each triangle first into the egg mixture, ensuring it is completely covered, then into the coconut flakes.
- A large non-stick skillet should be heated over medium heat with one tablespoon of coconut oil. Once the skillet and oil are hot, add half of the coconut coated tofu triangles and cook on each side until they turn golden brown. Once the tofu is done cooking, remove it on a paper towel lined plate and add more coconut oil to prepare the second batch.
- The crispy coconut crusted tofu can be served with sweet chili sauce for dipping as well.
*You should use virgin coconut oil to fry the tofu, which will maximize the coconut flavor. Refined coconut oil generally does not have much of a coconut flavor, so you should make sure you use virgin coconut oil whenever possible.
Nutritional
Serving: 1 Serving ・ Calories: 451.03 kcal ・ Carbohydrates: 24.83 g ・ Protein: 13.63 g ・ Fat: 32.6 g ・ Sodium: 443.7 mg ・ Fiber: 4.93 g
The nutritional values shown here are only estimates. Please see our nutrition disclaimer.
Step by Step Photos
As you can see, the tofu I used was packed in water, so it acts like a sponge before it is cooked, so you will need to squeeze it before cooking it. TIPS: You can find cheap tofu at Trader Joe’s; it is packed in water.
The tofu can be pressed by taking it out of its package and pressing it against multiple layers of paper towels or a dish towel that is clean and lint-free. (I prefer a dish towel as I don’t want to waste paper towels).
Wrap the tofu in two rigid flat objects (plates, cutting boards, baking sheets, etc.) and place something heavy on top, like a pot or kettle full of water. I used two baking sheets and my tea kettle to press the tofu. Press the tofu for at least 30 minutes, and keep it covered for a few seconds afterward.
If you want the tofu triangles to be as thin as possible, you’ll need to slice the block into three thinner pieces in order to do so.
The block can be hard to see from the picture, but the first thing I did was cut it down into two smaller pieces so it would be easier to cut them evenly.
In order to make it easier for you to see how I sliced the thickness of the block into three pieces, I cut each of the two pieces into three thinner 1/4-thick pieces (on the left, it’s turned on its side to give you a better idea of what I cut.
Once you have six rectangles, you need to cut them into two triangles. Each rectangle should have six triangles in it.
To dip the tofu in, place two bowls in a bowl that you can use for mixing the egg, cornstarch, water, salt, and pepper in in a bowl. In the first bowl, whisk together 1 large egg, 2 tablespoons cornstarch, and a pinch of salt and pepper. In the second bowl, place 1 cup of unsweetened shredded coconut.
Dip the tofu into the egg mixture first, then the coconut. Once the coated triangles are all coated, place them on a cutting board until all of them are covered.
This is the coconut oil that I used. It has a strong coconut flavor that enhances the flavor of the tofu triangles. Regular cooking oil will not provide as much coconut flavor.
Try to find “virgin” coconut oil when you shop for coconut oil because it will have a stronger coconut flavor.
It is a good idea to place a tablespoon or two of coconut oil in a medium non-stick skillet and heat it over medium heat.
Once the skillet and oil are hot, add half the tofu triangles to it and cook them on each side until they are brown and crispy (3-5 minutes each side).
In the same way, place the cooked tofu on a paper towel lined plate and allow it to drain for a few minutes. Put some more coconut oil in the skillet and cook the second batch in a similar way.
It would be great if the coconut crusted tofu could be served with sweet chili sauce for dipping.
It is this sweet chili sauce that I use in my cooking and it can be found at most major supermarkets. If you have the opportunity to go to an Asian grocery store, then you may be able to find it for a much less expensive price.
As I had some leftover rice and avocado in my fridge, I decided to build this super yummy bowl meal with my coconut crusted tofu! It consists of the rice, the coconut crusted tofu, avocado, red bell pepper, and a sweet chili sauce drizzled on top.
Since fried foods tend not to remain crispy beyond the frying process, leftovers aren’t perfect to eat as snacks, but they are still great. I reheated some triangles today for a snack in a dry skillet (where the crust has soaked up enough oil to be crispy) and heated them for a few minutes on each side.
Apronese believes that this is the best tofu dish ever, sweet and fatty of coconut combined with chili sauce, a delicious snack. Don’t forget to share this fun recipe with your friends.
