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Vietnamese Tomato Braised Tofu (Đậu Hũ Sốt Cà Chua)

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Crispy fried tofu simmered in a savory, slightly sweet tomato and fish sauce sauce. A quick weeknight dish made for a bowl of steamed rice.
Course Main Course
Cuisine Vietnamese
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings 3 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 block firm tofu 14 oz, cut into 12 pieces
  • 3 large Roma tomatoes diced
  • 2 green onions white and green parts separated, sliced
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 shallot minced
  • cilantro for garnish
  • black pepper freshly cracked, to finish
  • oil for shallow-frying (about ½ inch in the pan)

Sauce

  • 3 tablespoon oil for sautéing
  • 2 tablespoon fish sauce
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • ½ tablespoon chicken powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ⅓ teaspoon MSG
  • ½ cup water

Instructions

  • Fry the tofu: Add enough oil to cover the bottom of a pan by about ½ inch. Shallow-fry the tofu pieces for 5 minutes per side, or until golden. Remove and cool on a rack. Discard the oil.
  • Sauté the aromatics: Heat 3 tablespoon oil over high heat. Add the white part of the green onion, garlic and shallot. Sauté for 15 seconds, or until fragrant.
  • Add the tomatoes: Stir in the diced tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes, until softened.
  • Make the sauce: Add the fish sauce, sugar, MSG, chicken powder, salt and ½ cup water. Stir well to combine.
  • Simmer with the tofu: Add the fried tofu and lower the heat to medium-low. Simmer for 10 minutes so the tofu soaks up the sauce.
  • Finish and garnish: Taste and adjust seasoning. Garnish with the green onion tops and cilantro, and crack fresh black pepper on top.

Notes

Serving suggestion: Serve hot with steamed rice, fresh cucumber slices and a simple vegetable soup (canh) on the side.