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Teriyaki Tofu
5 from 105 votes

Teriyaki Tofu

Teriyaki Tofu features crispy pan-fried tofu cubes coated in a light layer of cornflour and toasted sesame seeds, creating a crunchy exterior that contrasts with the soft interior. The tofu is glazed in a balanced teriyaki sauce composed of light soy sauce, sake, mirin, and white sugar that thickens to coat each piece evenly. Garlic and a hint of rice vinegar add depth, while green onions and sesame oil finish the dish. This recipe offers a savory, slightly sweet flavor perfect for a satisfying plant-based main or side.

Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Servings: 2 people
Calories: 145 kcal
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Japanese

Ingredients

For the crispy tofu
  • 1 oz tofu about 396g- don't worry if your tofu is bigger/ smaller- just adjust the quantity of the other ingredients accordingly.) Cut into 1-inch cubes. I like to use Chinese tofu as it is firm enough to pan-fry but still very soft when you bite through the crisp exterior. Do NOT use silken tofu as it'll be VERY difficult, almost impossible, to fry! In a pinch, you can use firm tofu, but you won't get the same delightfully oozy interior that you will with Chinese tofu, block
  • 1-2 Tablespoons cornflour Substitute: potato starch
  • ½ Tablespoon sesame seeds lightly toasted: white or black work though I find white sesame seeds make the dish more appealing.
  • ½ prig green onions Optional
  • sesame oil Optional, a drizzle of
For the sauce
  • 5 Tablespoons light soy sauce if you're on a gluten-free diet, you can use coconut aminos or 1 of these light soya sauce alternatives. Do not use dark soy or sweet soy instead, low-sodium
  • 2½ Tablespoons sake Substitute: soju or mirin
  • 2½ Tablespoons mirin Substitute: soju or sake + sugar
  • 1¼ Tablespoons white sugar I don't recommend brown sugar or maple syrup as I prefer the cleaner taste of white, but if you have no choice, it won't ruin the recipe.
  • 3 cloves garlic peeled and minced, optional
  • ½-1 Tablespoon white rice vinegar or to taste, optional, substitute: juice from 1 calamansi lime 

Instructions

Frying the tofu
    Cup of Yum
  1. Cut all the tofu into 1-inch cubes. Handle the tofu gently so it doesn't break.
  2. Put the cornflour in a small bowl, followed by the tofu cubes. Turn them round till every side is coated with cornflour then shake off any excess.Do this for all the cubes.
  3. Using medium-high heat, fry all the tofu cubes till all sides are golden brown. Note: Make sure you place them in a single layer in the frying pan, and not too close to each other.For crispy teriyaki tofu, the oil needs to be hot enough before you add the tofu. To test if the oil is hot enough, you can use a food thermometer (180C/ 356F) OR insert a wooden chopstick into the hot oil. When you see bubbles around the chopstick, the oil is hot enough.
  4. Place the fried tofu on a paper towel to soak excess oil.
For the sauce
  1. Whilst the tofu cubes are cooling, pour the soy sauce, sake, mirin and sugar into a wok and stir-fry over medium heat till the sugar has dissolved and the sauce has thickened. (2-3 minutes but not too long or the sauce will be salty,
  2.  If using the 2 optional ingredients: Add the minced garlic, stir-fry briefly then add the vinegar or lime juice.
  3. Taste to check the sauce is not too salty (if it is, add a bit of water and mix well.) Toss the fried tofu in the teriyaki sauce till well coated.Serve with rice, a drizzle of sesame oil and maybe miso soup!

Notes

  • The tofu should be firm enough to hold shape during frying; avoid silken tofu for this recipe.
  • To ensure a crispy texture, place tofu cubes in a single layer and fry in sufficiently hot oil (around 180°C/356°F).
  • The teriyaki sauce can be made ahead and refrigerated up to one week without garlic, or up to three days if garlic is added.
  • This sauce also complements fish and chicken dishes.
  • Adjust tofu quantity proportionally if using larger or smaller tofu blocks.

Nutrition Information

Calories 145kcal (7%) Carbohydrates 25g (8%) Protein 6g (12%) Fat 1g (2%) Saturated Fat 0.2g (1%) Polyunsaturated Fat 1g (6%) Monounsaturated Fat 0.4g (2%) Sodium 2678mg (112%) Potassium 145mg (3%) Fiber 1g (4%) Sugar 13g (26%) Vitamin A 31IU (1%) Vitamin C 2mg (2%) Calcium 45mg (5%) Iron 2mg (11%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 2 people

Amount Per Serving

Calories 145

% Daily Value*

Calories 145kcal 7%
Carbohydrates 25g 8%
Protein 6g 12%
Fat 1g 2%
Saturated Fat 0.2g 1%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g 6%
Monounsaturated Fat 0.4g 2%
Sodium 2678mg 112%
Potassium 145mg 3%
Fiber 1g 4%
Sugar 13g 26%
Vitamin A 31IU 1%
Vitamin C 2mg 2%
Calcium 45mg 5%
Iron 2mg 11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.