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This crispy tofu dipped in sweet and sour sauce is a Thai snack that doubles as a meal. Known as Tao Hoo Tod, it is popular street food enjoyed year-round. Firm tofu is cut into cubes, fried until golden, and served with a tangy sauce that balances sweet, sour, and spicy notes. The tofu’s texture is crisp on the outside and soft inside.
The sweet and sour sauce combines vinegar, tamari, chili garlic, and roasted peanuts for heat, salt, and crunch, bringing the whole dish together. The sauce clings to the fried tofu, creating a flavor-packed bite that feels both light and flavorful. While perfect as an appetizer, it can do more. Pair the tofu with rice or noodles for a quick main dish, or toss it into stir-fries to add protein. Serve it with vegetables for balance.
Read more: Olive Paste Pasta Salad
The recipe comes from Vegan Thai Kitchen by Sarah Jansala and Renoo Jansala. It shows how a simple but versatile tofu base can work for both snacks and meals.
Prep the crispy tofu dipped in sweet and sour sauce
Ingredients
- 3 cups (720 ml) vegetable oil
- 21 oz (595 g) firm tofu cut into 1" (2.5-cm) squares
Sweet and Sour Sauce
- 1 cup (200 g) sugar
- ½ cup (120 ml) water
- ½ cup (120 ml) apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) tamari
- 1 tbsp (18 g) salt
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) chili garlic sauce
- 1 tbsp (9 g) crushed roasted peanuts
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a pan over medium heat to 350°F (180°C), and fry the tofu for about 3 minutes or until golden brown on each side and cooked through. Remove from the pan and drain well.
- To make the sweet and sour sauce, combine the sugar, water, apple cider vinegar, tamari, salt and chili garlic sauce in a saucepan over medium heat and stir until the sugar dissolves, then simmer for 2 to 3 minutes or until the sauce is thick.
- Serve the tofu with the sauce for dipping. Sprinkle the dipping sauce with the peanuts.
Reprinted with permission from Vegan Thai Kitchen by Sarah Jansala and Renoo Jansala. Page Street Publishing. 2019. Photo credit: Toni Zernik.
