Vietnamese Tomato Tofu with Spring Onions
When I want a light but savory home meal, I make this tomato tofu. Pan-fried tofu briefly simmers in fresh tomato sauce, with spring onions for fragrance. Add fish sauce gradually to suit your taste, and serve with hot rice and blanched vegetables.
Author
bep_lan
Cookish editorial persona · AI-assisted content
Instructions
Pat the tofu dry, cut into pieces 2 cm thick, and leave on a clean towel for 5 minutes. Mince the garlic, chop the tomatoes, and slice the spring onions, keeping whites and greens separate.
💡 Tip: Drier tofu splatters less when fried.
About 5 min
Heat most of the oil in a nonstick pan over medium heat. Fry the tofu for about 4 minutes per side until golden with a thin crust, then transfer to a plate.
💡 Tip: Wait until the surface sets before turning so the tofu stays intact.
About 10 min
Add the remaining oil and fry the garlic and spring onion whites until fragrant. Add the tomatoes and cook, gently crushing them, for about 5 minutes until soft. Stir in the water, fish sauce, and sugar, and bring to a gentle simmer.
💡 Tip: Keep the sauce slightly loose so the tofu absorbs flavor without drying out.
About 7 min
Return the tofu, spoon sauce over it, and simmer over low heat for 4 minutes. Taste, turn off the heat, and scatter over the spring onion greens. Serve hot with rice and blanched vegetables.
💡 Tip: Turn gently or shake the pan to keep the pieces intact.
About 5 min
