Sous Vide Chili-Garlic Tofu

Sous vide cooking continues to impress me with every single recipe I try out in my kitchen and this take on a humble ingredient we all know was no exception.

I've loved working with tofu ever since for some good reasons on top of the nutritional value it is very well known for.

• It can take on a variety of textures, from soft to crispy, depending on cooking technique, setting one specific recipe feeling totally distinct from another.
• It works like a very neutral tasting sponge, taking on any flavor that you fancy to mix up.
• It is very easy to work on and nearly impossible to mess up.

I really thought I knew tofu that well with all its potential. Not until I tried putting it into my sous vide set-up. It was like working with a totally new ingredient!

The tofu came out with a pleasantly springy crust while remaining really soft and smooth inside. The flavored sauce gushed out with every bite – I never thought I could pack that much flavor into tofu. Honestly, it felt like eating a savory custard encased in some chewy crust.

Okay, enough with the build-up. Let's get on with the recipe.

Get a pack of firm tofu and cut it into evenly sized serving portions, about an inch thick I would suggest. Thinner slices would hold less “juice” compared to thicker ones. 

Pan fry the tofu pieces in some vegetable oil until a crisp brown crust develops. This crust would later act as a case to hold all those flavored juices within.

Next, mix up your sauce. Combine soy sauce, sesame oil, brown sugar, and chili garlic sauce. You can certainly alter the suggested proportions to taste, especially for the chili.

Toss the fried tofu pieces into the sauce, making sure they're evenly coated.

Get everything in a sous vide bag – tofu and sauce. Keep them in a single layer for even cooking.

Set the bag in a sous vide bath for about 4 hours at 180F. Though I use a few different models, my top pick for this year is Chefsteps Joule.

Your tofu will be ready to serve out of the bag as soon as the time's up. It'll be really great served over white rice, with that flavorful sauce poured on top.

Let me suggest as I've done with mine.

Take all that sauce left in the bag and toss some cooked noodles in – soba, egg noodles, vermicelli, even linguini. Fold in some herbs for some freshness – cilantro, spring onions, chives. . . whatever you like. Add a few sauteed vegetables – spinach, broccoli, cabbage, then top it with some toasted sesame seeds or chopped nuts for more flavor and texture. Instant Asian noodle stir-fry!

See how soft and succulent that core is! Flavor gushing out with every bite!