What Makes This Recipe So Good
There’s this famous little Vietnamese joint in midtown Memphis called Pho Hoa Binh, which offers a cheap and painfully delicious (and equally generous) buffet for lunch. Their lemongrass tofu is known city-wide as being one of the most delicious things, ever. This recipe successfully recreates that incredible dish right in the comfort of your kitchen.This recipe is full of aromatic lemongrass and pungent onion and garlic, and fiery with Thai red chili peppers! Seriously, this stuff is hot. You can reduce the amount in the recipe, but I really enjoyed how intense the slow burn was.A touch of agave gives the lemongrass tofu this sweetness that compliments the saltiness of the fish sauce and soy sauce and the heat of the peppers and chili flakes in this mouth-watering, mind-blowing way that you just can’t get enough of. It’s the ultimate sweet-meets-salty dish.
Key Ingredients
Tofu – Both firm and extra-firm will work well here, so use your favorite!Lemongrass Stalks – Not only does lemongrass taste amazing, it’s good for you, too! It’s full of antioxidants, and it’s anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, and anti-fungal. If you can’t find lemongrass stalks, you could try using powdered lemongrass instead. I’d start with 2 ½ tablespoons and adjust from there as needed. Lemongrass paste would also work – use roughly 1 teaspoon paste in place of 1 lemongrass stalk.Thai Red Chili Peppers – If you’re new to red chili peppers, definitely cut the quantity you use at first. They’re much hotter than peppers like jalapeños, and it’s not easy to walk that heat back if you use too much. You can always add more, though!Fish Sauce – If you’re vegan or vegetarian, skip the fish sauce and use extra soy sauce in its place.
Chef’s Tips
Make sure to drain your tofu for at least 30 minutes prior to cooking, so you get the perfect lemongrass tofu texture. Wrap the block of tofu in a paper towel and set a heavy frying pan on top of it to press out as much excess liquid as possible.You can totally enjoy lemongrass tofu all on its own, but a simple helping of steamed rice compliments it nicely. Noodles would also work, or you could do some stir-fried veggies.Both the fish sauce and the soy sauce are salty, so if you’re sensitive to salt, use less than the recipe calls for and add more to taste. I’m a huge lover of all things salty, so I tend to be really heavy handed with my fish sauce, using even more than the 2 teaspoons called for here. I know that doesn’t work for everyone, though!
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