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Vietnamese Lemongrass Tofu

Vietnamese Lemongrass Tofu reads umami 6.3, sourness 5.4 and salinity 5.4 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Vietnamese main, about 28 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 7.1 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 2.7 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 7.0 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 0.9 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 4.9 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 3.9 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 6.3 · Sourness 5.4 · Salinity 5.4 · Citrus 5.3 · Richness 3.9 · Allium 3.5 · Nutty 3.4 · Funk & Ferment 2.9 · Sweetness 2.5 · Herbaceous 2.0 · Heat 1.8 · Floral 1.4 · Warm Spice 1.2 · Earthy 0.8 · Bitterness 0.8

What's in it (14)

• extra-firm tofu — 397 g
• cornstarch — 44 g
• vegetable oil — 54 g
• lemongrass — 80 g
• garlic — 12 g
• shallot — 40 g
• fresh red chile pepper — 200 g
• soybean soy sauce — 44 g
• light-brown sugar — 13 g
• rice wine vinegar — 11 g
• lime juice — 15 g
• salt — 5 g
• green onions — 330 g
• spanish style peanuts — 59 g

Time & effort: about 28 min · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 99.8 kcal, 4.1 g protein, 6 g fat, 8.6 g carbs

Dietary: Vegan — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (9 steps)

1. Wrap the tofu block in paper towels, set a heavy pan or skillet on top, and let it sit until much of the moisture is pressed out, about 15 minutes; pat dry and cut into 1-inch cubes.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, brown sugar, rice vinegar, and lime juice until the sugar dissolves; set this sauce aside.
3. Toss the tofu cubes with the cornstarch in a bowl until evenly and lightly coated on all sides.
4. Heat 3 tablespoons of the oil in a large nonstick or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the tofu in a single layer and pan-fry undisturbed until deeply golden and crisp on the first side, 4-5 minutes, then turn and crisp the remaining sides, 4-5 minutes more.
5. Transfer the tofu to a paper-towel-lined plate.
6. Reduce the heat to medium and add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the same skillet. Add the lemongrass, garlic, shallot, and chiles; saute, stirring constantly so the garlic doesn't scorch, until very fragrant and the shallot is softened, 1-2 minutes.
7. Pour in the reserved sauce and bring to a simmer; cook, stirring, until slightly thickened and glossy, about 1 minute.
8. Return the tofu to the skillet and toss gently to coat every piece in the sauce, letting it heat back through and cling to the tofu, about 1 minute.
9. Season with salt to taste, then transfer to a serving platter. Scatter with the green onions and peanuts and serve immediately, while the tofu is still crisp, ideally over jasmine rice.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Crispy Tofu Pad Thai — Thai
• Sumac Lemon Chicken Pasta with Pine Nuts — Mediterranean
• Spicy Thai Peanut Noodles with Tofu — Thai
• Harissa Chicken Caesar Wraps — Middle Eastern
• Hainanese Chicken Rice (Poached Chicken with Chicken-Fat Rice) — Singaporean

Keep reading: what umami, sourness, salinity mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.