Tao hoo tod (Thai fried tofu with sweet chilli peanut dip)
Crisp-skinned tofu cubes dunked in a sticky sweet chilli sauce with crushed peanuts
In Bangkok and towns all over Thailand, tao hoo tod is sold from street-side woks in the late afternoon, scooped into paper bags with a little bag of sweet chilli dip and a spoon of crushed peanuts for snacking on the way home. Done properly, each cube has a thin, blistered, crisp skin and a soft, almost creamy centre. The mistake that ruins it is frying wet tofu in oil that isn't hot enough, so it soaks up fat and never crisps. It makes a good starter or a light supper with sticky rice and cucumber. Chef's tip: press the tofu under a heavy pan for 10 minutes while you make the dip; drier tofu crisps faster and spits less.
- Total time
- 22 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 3
Ingredients
- 14 oz firm tofupressed and cut into 3 cm cubes
- 2 cups vegetable oilfor deep-frying
For the dip
- 4 tbsp sugar
- 3 tbsp water
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 red chilliesfinely chopped
- 2 cloves garlicfinely chopped
- 1 ⅜ oz roasted peanutscoarsely crushed
- 1 tbsp coriander leaves (optional)chopped
Shop this recipe on Amazon
What you'll need
Fresh ingredients (4)
Links open Amazon in a new tab. As an Amazon Associate, WhatToEat.Today earns from qualifying purchases.
Method
0/4 doneStep 1: Put 4 tbsp sugar, 4 tbsp rice vinegar or white vinegar, 3 tbsp water, ½ tsp salt, 2 red chillies and 2 cloves garlic in a small pan. Simmer over a medium heat for 4–5 minutes, until the sugar has dissolved and the sauce is syrupy enough to coat a spoon. Leave to cool; it thickens as it stands.
5 minStep 2: Heat 2 cups vegetable oil in a wok or small deep pan to 350°F, or until a cube of bread browns in 30 seconds.
4 minStep 3: Fry 14 oz firm tofu in two batches for 4–5 minutes each, turning, until deep golden, puffed and crisp all over. Lift out onto kitchen paper. Lower the tofu in gently: wet tofu spits.
9 minStep 4: Pour the dip into a small bowl and scatter with 1 ⅜ oz roasted peanuts and 1 tbsp coriander leaves. Serve the tofu hot, with toothpicks for dipping.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 360 kcal
- Protein
- 18 g
- Carbs
- 23 g
- Fat
- 22 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does tao hoo tod (Thai fried tofu with sweet chilli peanut dip) take?
- About 22 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 12 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 3 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- What can I use instead of sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
- What can I use instead of rice vinegar or white vinegar?
- Cider vinegar or rice vinegar, same amount.
Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to cook it.
Rate this recipe
Sign in to rate and review this recipe.
You might also like
SakarpadaSweet fried dough diamonds
Sakarpada (shakarpara) are little sweet diamonds of a rich dough made with ghee, milk and sugar, fried until golden and crunchy. They are a Diwali favourite with tea, and the cubes go into bhusu too. They keep for weeks in an air-tight tin.
Indian
Yaki onigiriGrilled rice balls
Yaki onigiri (焼きおにぎり) are rice balls grilled until they form a crisp, toasty crust, then brushed with soy sauce glaze. They are eaten all over Japan, at izakaya, at barbecues and from the freezer section, as a snack or with miso soup. The inside stays soft and steamy while the outside crackles. Best eaten hot, straight from the pan. Chef's tip: let the shaped rice balls dry for 10 minutes before they go in the pan. A drier surface forms a better crust and won't stick, and the glaze goes on only at the end so it doesn't burn.
Japanese
Taiwanese grilled corn
At Raohe and Shilin night markets the grilled-corn stalls are easy to find: look for the queue and the smoky, sweet smell. Cobs are par-cooked, then turned slowly over charcoal while the cook brushes them with a dark glaze of sacha sauce, thick soy paste, garlic and chilli, layer after layer, until the kernels are sticky, slightly charred and deeply savoury. It is eaten hot from a paper sleeve while walking the market. Sacha (shacha) sauce, a Taiwanese barbecue paste, usually contains dried fish and shrimp; vegetarian sacha is sold in Asian shops. Contains soy, wheat and fish. Chef's tip: brush thin coats and turn often; one thick coat burns before the corn chars.
Taiwanese