Tofu With Chilli Jam (Best Condiment Recipe)
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Cook35 min
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Total60 min
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Servings4
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When you taste this chilli jam for the first time, you’ll see why it turns something as simple as tofu into a dish you’ll crave. The good part happens when you blend shallots, garlic, red peppers, and chillis into a smooth paste, then simmer it with tamarind, soy sauce, and brown sugar for twenty minutes. This combination creates layers of flavor – tangy, sweet, and spicy all at once. The tamarind adds depth, the sugar balances the heat, and the soy sauce ties everything together. You’re not just making a sauce; you’re building complexity that makes tofu genuinely exciting to eat. For those who prefer using pre-made Thai curry paste* instead of crafting their own blend from scratch, quality commercial options can save time while delivering authentic flavors to your kitchen.
Chilli Jam’s Flavor Profile
This vibrant Southeast Asian-inspired dish combines the creamy texture of tofu with a complex, tangy-sweet chilli jam that delivers layers of flavor. The sauce balances the heat from long red chillies with the depth of tamarind, the umami richness of kecap manis, and the subtle sweetness of brown sugar, creating a sauce that is simultaneously spicy, sour, and sweet.
Ingredients
Tofu With Chilli Jam (Best Condiment Recipe)
by veganpreps.com
Ingredients
- 1 block (14 oz) firm tofu, pressed and cut into 1-inch cubes
- 3 tablespoons peanut oil or neutral cooking oil, divided
- 4 long red chillies, roughly chopped
- 2 red capsicums (bell peppers), roughly chopped
- 6 shallots, roughly chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons tamarind concentrate
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce or kecap manis
- ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 2 spring onions, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup cashews, roughly chopped and toasted
- 2 cups cooked jasmine rice, for serving
Instructions
- 1Press tofu for at least 20 minutes. Cut into 1-inch cubes and pat dry. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large non-stick skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Fry tofu in a single layer for 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden and crispy on all sides. Remove and set aside.
- 2Add chillies, capsicums, shallots, and garlic to a food processor or blender. Pulse until a coarse paste forms.
- 3Heat remaining 1 tablespoon of oil in the same skillet over medium heat. Add the chilli paste and cook, stirring frequently, for 8 to 10 minutes until darkened, fragrant, and most of the moisture has evaporated.
- 4Stir in tamarind concentrate, brown sugar, and soy sauce. Simmer for a further 10 minutes over low-medium heat, stirring often, until the jam is thick and glossy. Taste and adjust salt and sweetness.
- 5Add the fried tofu to the skillet and toss to coat in the chilli jam. Cook for 2 minutes to let the tofu absorb the sauce. Plate over rice, garnish with spring onions and toasted cashews, and serve.
Notes
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- This recipe freezes well for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
- Adjust seasoning to taste after reheating, as flavors can mellow during storage.
I always grab fresh red chillies and capsicums for the best flavor development in the jam. The quality of brown sugar matters – darker varieties will give you deeper molasses notes that improve the overall complexity of the sauce. Tamarind concentrate can be hard to find, though it’s showing up more often at Asian markets; if you can’t find it, lime juice works as a substitute for the tangy component. Kecap manis is better than regular soy sauce because it’s naturally sweet, though regular soy sauce works fine if you add an extra half tablespoon of sugar to make up for it.
Fry Tofu Until Golden
Begin by cutting 1 block of tofu into bite-sized squares. This makes sure you get even cooking and lets the tofu soak up the flavors of the dish while getting a crispy outside. Coat each piece lightly with soy sauce or kecap manis to add depth and umami to the tofu before frying. Heat oil (peanut oil works best, though any oil is fine) in a pan over medium-high heat until it shimmers.
Carefully place the coated tofu squares into the hot oil, working in batches if needed to avoid crowding the pan. Fry each side until it develops a golden-brown crust, which usually takes a few minutes per side, creating a tasty outside while keeping the inside soft. Once golden, transfer the tofu to a plate and store any extras in airtight food storage containers* to keep them fresh for serving alongside the chilli jam later.
The Chilli Jam Base Adapts Easily
Since you’ve got your tofu cooling on the side, you can focus on building the chilli jam base – and here’s where things get really flexible. The foundation stays the same: shallots, garlic, peppers, and chillies blended into a paste. But you can swap ingredients based on what you’ve got. Don’t have tamarind? Use lime juice instead. Want it sweeter? Add more sugar. Prefer less heat? Use fewer chillies or remove the seeds. The best part about this base is that it’s forgiving. You’re building layers of flavor, and small adjustments won’t mess up the dish. Experiment until you find your perfect balance.
Rice Absorbs the Sauce
When you ladle that rich chilli jam over your rice, you’re not just topping it – you’re letting the rice soak up all those tangy, spicy, sweet flavors you’ve been building. The grains absorb the sauce’s moisture and seasoning throughout. This is why I always serve generous portions of rice alongside the tofu. The starch bonds with the sauce’s flavors, creating a dish where every bite tastes intentional. Don’t skimp on rice quantity; you want enough surface area to catch that beautiful condiment. The combination transforms simple white rice into something genuinely memorable and complete.
Final Thoughts
You’ve now got all the pieces to make a dish that’s really satisfying, and honestly, there’s nothing complicated about it. The key to this tofu with chilli jam is balance – the tangy tamarind cuts through the richness, while the heat builds gradually as you eat. That golden tofu soaks up every bit of sauce, and the crunchy spring onions give you texture contrast.
In This Recipe.
