Ingredients
Tofu
- 1 block (1 lb / 450 g) soft tofu, drained and sliced into 1/2” (1 cm) thick pieces
Sauce
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon vegetarian oyster sauce (or oyster sauce)
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- Pinch of salt
Aromatic Oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
- 2 teaspoons grated ginger
- 2 tablespoons peanut oil (or vegetable oil)
- 2 dried chili peppers
- 1/4 teaspoon ground Sichuan peppercorn (or black pepper)
Instructions
- Prepare the steamer: Add 2” (5 cm) of water to a pot and heat over medium-high heat until it comes to a boil.
- Arrange the tofu: Place the sliced tofu on a plate that fits into your steamer, making sure the pieces overlap as little as possible. Set the plate onto the steaming rack.
- Steam the tofu: Once the water is boiling, place the steaming rack with tofu into the pot. Cover and steam for 6 minutes. When done, carefully remove the plate from the steamer and let it cool for a few minutes. Tilt the plate slightly to drain off excess water from the tofu.
- Mix the sauce: While the tofu is steaming, combine light soy sauce, vegetarian oyster sauce, sugar, and salt in a small bowl. Stir well and set aside.
- Make the aromatic oil: Heat the peanut or vegetable oil in a small skillet over medium heat until hot but not smoking. Add the dried chili peppers, minced garlic, grated ginger, a small portion of the sliced green onions, and ground Sichuan peppercorn. Stir occasionally until the chili peppers turn dark red and the oil is fragrant.
- Assemble the dish: Immediately pour the aromatic oil along with the ingredients evenly over the steamed tofu. Then pour the prepared sauce on top.
- Serve: Enjoy the tofu warm or at room temperature as an appetizer, or serve it over steamed rice as a delicious main dish.
Notes
- Be gentle when handling the steamed tofu as it is delicate and can break easily.
- You can adjust the level of spiciness by adding more or fewer dried chili peppers according to your taste preference.
- Vegetarian oyster sauce is used to keep the dish vegetarian; regular oyster sauce can be substituted if not required.
- For a gluten-free version, make sure to use gluten-free soy sauce and oyster sauce.
- Allowing the tofu to drain well after steaming prevents the dish from becoming watery.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 13 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Steaming
- Cuisine: Chinese
- Diet: Vegetarian
