Shredded chili tofu is a riff on one of my favorite Indo-Chinese dishes. It’s packed with protein and veggies, spicy, and easy. Crispy shredded tofu is coated in a tangy, umami-rich sauce and tossed with scallions, bell peppers, and tomatoes.
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I thought I’d tried tofu in every which way, from baked to fried to frozen then thawed, but ultimately I resorted to a comfortable routine, especially when it came to using it to replace paneer in Indian dishes. I pressed for no longer than 30 minutes, cut into rectangles, and pan-fried in some vegan butter. So when I saw other people shredding tofu, I was open to shaking things up a bit! Every girl stuck in a routine needs a change every now and then, like a haircut or a music genre switch, but in this case, it’s just tofu. Not as dramatic of a change as a haircut, but a change nonetheless.
This shredded chili tofu is a plant-based twist on the Indo-Chinese dish chili paneer. Indo-Chinese food isn’t what it sounds like. Instead of a merger of the two cuisines it’s more about using Chinese ingredients in bold, deeply aromatic cooking that appeals to Indian preferences. Indo-chinese food is huge in India; it began centuries ago when Chinese immigrant communities in Calcutta (now Kolkata) started restaurants, but wanted their food to cater to the preferences of their Indian customers.
What I love about this method for tofu is you end up with a lot of different textures and the increase in surface area helps with soaking up flavor. It can easily come together in under 30 minutes for a lunch or dinner!
How to Make Shredded Chili Tofu
Prepare the tofu.
Shred extra-firm tofu, line an air fryer basket or baking sheet with parchment paper, and spray a little oil on it. Air frying takes 10-12 minutes, while baking takes about twice as long. Make sure to toss a bit in the middle! You end up with varied textures and can stop air frying or baking when it’s as crispy or soft as you prefer it.
Aromatics.
One of the cornerstones of Indo-Chinese cuisine is its reliance on aromatics to impart flavors that compliment the umami-rich sauce. Use garlic, ginger, and green chilis, but red chilis are also fine if that’s what you have.
Veggies.
Onions, bell peppers, and tomatoes!
Sauce.
I’ve tried many iterations of this sauce but simple is best. Soy sauce, sriracha and/or chili garlic sauce, and sometimes a sweetener to balance the flavors. Indo-Chinese food also commonly features ketchup, but I don’t own ketchup, so I’m using a tomato. You can absolutely use a spoonful of ketchup if you want!’=
Shredded Chili Tofu
Ingredients
- 14 oz. extra firm tofu
- neutral oil
- 2 scallions, whites and greens separated
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 inch ginger, grated
- ½ red bell pepper, chopped
- ½ green bell pepper, chopped
- 1 medium tomato, diced
- pinch of salt
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp chili garlic sauce or sriracha
- ketchup *optional
- black pepper
Instructions
- Prepare the tofu. Before using, press with a heavy object or a tofu press for 15-30 minutes, eliminating as much moisture as possible. Then shred with a grater. Line an air fryer basket or baking sheet with parchment paper and drizzle or spray with a little neutral oil. Air fry at 375 F for 10-12 minutes (about twice as long in the oven). Toss once about halfway through. Stop when you're satisfied with the texture!
- Heat 1 tbsp neutral oil in a pan over medium heat. Add scallion whites, garlic, and ginger. Cook for 3-4 minutes. Add bell pepper and cook until slightly tender – about 5 minutes. Add the diced tomatoes and a pinch of salt, cooking until the tomatoes are soft and well-integrated with the rest of it. Then add the air-fried tofu.
- Finish with soy sauce, chili garlic sauce or sriracha, ketchup if using, and black pepper. Taste and decide if you need adjustments, as every condiment brand is different! Top it off with the scallion greens.
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