I have fallen in love with Gochujang, which is a fantastic Korean chili paste. I love its rich, umami, smoky, spicy (but not too spicy) flavor and it tastes delicious on so many things. I came across a Gochujang Tempeh recipe a while back and it was really tasty. I have since tried the sauce on crispy tofu and I like it even better.
This is a great recipe to try if you have never had Gochujang. You can find Gochujang in the international section of most grocery stores.
Crispy Gochujang Tofu (adapted from Lazy Cat Kitchen)
14 ounces extra firm tofu
4 tablespoons Gochujang (Korean chili paste)
2 teaspoons rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
2 tablespoons maple syrup (or agave nectar or granulated sugar dissolved in the soy sauce)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ginger, minced
2 tablespoons corn starch
2 tablespoons roasted peanuts, chopped
Rice for serving
Press tofu for about 30 minutes between a few layers of dishtowels or paper towels with a heavy object on top (like a frying pan or a few cans of tomatoes). Break the tofu block into approximately 1 inch pieces and place pieces in a large bowl.
Whisk together gochujang through ginger in a small bowl. Remove about 2 tablespoons of mixture and stir it into the tofu pieces until coated. Be gentle, but it is okay if a few of the pieces break apart. Then toss the tofu pieces in cornstarch until thoroughly coated.
Preheat air fryer to 375 degrees. Spray air fryer pan with cooking spray. Spread tofu on air fryer pan. Cook for 10-12 minutes, turning once, until golden brown and crisp.
While the tofu is cooking, heat remainder of Gochujang mixture over low heat in a large skillet. Once done, toss the tofu in heated Gochujang sauce. Serve immediately over rice with preferred green vegetable.
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