FRIED BEANCURD WITH SWEET CHILLI PEANUT SAUCE

This is a popular Thai street food, crispy deep fried tofu [tao hu tod].  The firm beancurd is deep fried till golden and crispy on all edges and serve with a sweet chilli peanut sauce.  I love fried tofu or firm beancurd and this is especially good with a home cooked sweet chilli sauce.  The peanuts and cilantro enhance further this sauce.  As I do not have cilantro, I made do with spring onions which is also good.

This sweet chilli sauce can be used as a dipping sauce for any other fried food, so it is worthwhile to prepare the whole portion and stored away for later use.  I have omitted the chilli flakes as the sauce is rather spicy and hot.

Honestly, I don’t mind having just this for a light weekend lunch in the comfort of my home.

Recipe adapted from  Hot Thai Kitchen with modifications

Ingredients

3 pieces firm beancurd – quartered and deep fried or pan fried

Enough oil for deep frying or pan frying

Ingredients for SWEET CHILLI PEANUT SAUCE

2 red chillies – cut small pieces [spicy specie]

1-2 large cloves garlic

3 tbsp vinegar, tamarind juice and water

3 tbsp sugar

3 tbsp palm sugar – chopped

¼ tsp salt

3-4 tbsp coarsely ground toasted peanuts

2 tbsp chopped cilantro or spring onions

1. In a blender, add chillies, garlic, water, vinegar and tamarind.  Blend until there are no big chunks of the ingredients [ not necessarily smooth and fine].  Transfer to a sauce pan, add in sugar, palm sugar, salt.
2. Bring ingredients to boil over low medium heat  for 5 minutes or until slightly thick but not thick [the sauce will thicken a little when cooled].   Taste and adjust seasoning.  When ready to serve, add in peanuts and cilantro or spring onions.
3. For the firm beancurd, deep fry in medium hot oil or pan fry until golden brown or crispy.
4. Dish up on serve platter [I laid the base with some shredded cabbage],  pour sweet chilli sauce on top , sprinkle peanuts and cilantro or serve fried beancurd with sweet chilli sauce as dipping sauce.