Sticky Tofu Rice Bowl
This Sticky Tofu Rice Bowl is packed with tofu tossed in a saucy, glossy, and tasty hoisin-based sauce. This is perfect for a satisfying meal with rice or noodles and veggies of your choice. The tofu is also hand-broken before being pan-fried or airfried, which creates a unique texture with the uneven pieces and edges.
Ingredients
TOFU
- 1 lb extra firm tofu
SAUCE
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1-2 tbsp hoisin sauce adjust to taste
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp dark soy sauce optional for color
- 1/2 tsp Chinese 5 spice
- 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine
- 1/4 tsp white pepper
- 1 tsp chili oil adjust to desired heat
- 1 tbsp water
FOR STIR-FRYING
- 1 tbsp neutral oil
- 1 scallion green and white parts separated and sliced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
TO SERVE
- Steamed rice
- Extra scallions for garnish optional
- Sesame seeds optional
- Chili oil optional
Instructions
PREPARE THE TOFU
- Drain the tofu and pat dry. Break the tofu apart with your hands into uneven bite-sized pieces.
AIR-FRY THE TOFU
- Air-fry the tofu at 180C/350F for 12-15 minutes, flipping halfway through as needed, until lightly golden and crisp on the edges.
PAN-FRY OPTION
- To pan-fry, heat a thin layer of neutral oil in a pan over medium high heat. Cook the tofu for 6-8 minutes, flipping occasionally, until golden brown on most sides.
MAKE THE SAUCE
- Mix the soy sauce, hoisin sauce, brown sugar, dark soy sauce, Chinese 5 spice, Shaoxing wine, white pepper, chili oil, and water in a bowl. Taste and adjust to your liking.
STIR-FRY AND COAT
- Heat 1 tbsp neutral oil in a pan or wok over medium heat. Add the white parts of the scallion and garlic, then cook for 1-2 minutes or until aromatic.
- Add the cooked tofu and pour in the sauce. Toss and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until the sauce thickens and coats the tofu.
- Taste and adjust with more soy sauce, hoisin sauce, or chili oil, if needed. Turn off the heat.
SERVE
- Serve over steamed rice. Garnish with extra scallions or chopped chives, sesame seeds, and chili oil, if desired. Enjoy while hot!
Notes
- Breaking the tofu apart by hand creates uneven pieces with lots of edges. These edges crisp up and help the sauce stick to the tofu better.
- The tofu can be air-fried or pan-fried. I air-fried mine at 180C/350F for 12-15 minutes, flipping halfway through cooking as needed. Do note that I line my air-fryer with some parchment paper so I had to flip mine to brown the other side.
- Adjust the hoisin sauce to taste. Use 1 tbsp for a less sweet sauce or 2 tbsp for a richer, stickier sauce.
- Dark soy sauce is optional and mainly adds a richer color.
NUTRITIONAL INFO
Serving: 1serving tofu | Calories: 297kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 0.2mg | Sodium: 949mg | Potassium: 451mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 64IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 105mg | Iron: 4mg
DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?Please leave a rating or comment and share a photo on Instagram, and tag me @thefoodietakesflight or use #thefoodietakesflight :)