This hasselback tofu looks impressive, but it's easy to make. Thin, fan-like cuts let the soy-sesame sauce seep in while the outside gets crispy and the inside stays tender.
Ingredients
- Firm tofu
- Cornstarch (optional)
- A little oil for pan-frying
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon silan (date syrup) or maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- A little grated ginger
- Crushed red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Pat the block of tofu thoroughly dry with paper towels.
- Place two chopsticks or wooden skewers along opposite sides of the tofu block. Cut thin slices across the block, letting the sticks stop the knife before it cuts all the way through.
- For extra crispiness, sprinkle a little cornstarch into the cuts.
- Heat a little oil in a skillet and pan-fry the tofu block on all sides until golden. You can also crisp it up in an air fryer.
- In a bowl, mix all the sauce ingredients: soy sauce, silan or maple syrup, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes.
- With the tofu in the skillet, pour in the sauce and spoon it over the tofu.
- Cook for 1–2 minutes, until the sauce reduces and thickens.
Tips
The fan-like cuts create more surface area, which means more room for crispy edges. Using chopsticks as a knife stop is a great trick for keeping the base of the tofu intact.
