Global Food in Five: Tofu Sisig

I’m excited to share the next recipe in our Global Food in Five series: Tofu Sisig!

This recipe has crispy tofu, lots of mushrooms, bell pepper and onion, plenty of chilies and a creamy, umami-rich sauce to bring it all together. I like to serve it over a bed of brown rice or quinoa to complete the meal.

I’m not kidding when I say it’s spicy, though. You can always alter the amount of spice in this dish by removing or adding chilies. It calls for 2 medium Thai chilies and 1 medium serrano pepper, so you could easily cut that in half or even in quarters if you want to bring down the spice level. Or, omit the chilies and pepper altogether if you’re not into it.

The sauce has so much flavor, even without the heat! It’s made with stock, soy sauce, oyster sauce and lemon juice, with a sprinkle of sugar to balance out the acidity. A dollop of mayonnaise is whisked in at the last minute to give it some creaminess (this is traditional of tofu sisig!).

This dish also features loads of vegetables, from 8 ounces of mushrooms and a full onion and bell pepper! Plus, you start by searing the tofu to get it crispy on all sides, so the dish has a wonderful texture.

You’re seriously going to love it!

Tofu Sisig

• Author: Julie Andrews
• Prep Time: 15-20 mins
• Cook Time: 20-25 mins
• Total Time: 35-45 mins
• Yield: Serves 4 1x
• Method: Stir-Frying

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Description

Crispy tofu is cooked with a soy and oyster sauce with mushrooms, onion, bell pepper and lots of chilies. This one is SPICY!

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Sauce:

• 3 tablespoons water or unsalted vegetable stock
• 1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce or tamari
• 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
• Zest and juice of ½ medium lemon
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar

Tofu:

• 1-pound extra firm tofu
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons oil

Stir Fry: 

• 8-ounces fresh shitake mushrooms, chopped
• 1 medium white onion, peeled and diced
• 1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and diced
• 2 medium Thai chilies, seeded and minced
• 1 medium serrano pepper, seeded and minced
• 2–3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
• 2 cups cooked brown rice

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Instructions

1. Whisk together the sauce ingredients in a bowl and set aside.
2. Line a plate with a kitchen towel or paper towel. Place the tofu block on the plate and top with an additional kitchen towel or paper towel. Place a heavy pot or skillet on top and let sit at least 10 minutes. Once dry, slice into cubes. Sprinkle with black pepper.
3. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet to medium-high heat. Add the cubed tofu and cook 2-3 minutes per side or until lightly browned and crisp. Remove the crispy tofu from the skillet and set aside.
4. Reduce the skillet heat to medium and add the mushrooms, onion, bell pepper, Thai chilies and serrano pepper. Sauté 4-5 minutes or until slightly soft. Stir in the garlic and sauté 30-60 seconds or until fragrant.
5. Add the tofu back into the pan and pour in the sauce. Bring to a simmer for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat and stir in the mayonnaise.
6. Serve the tofu Sisig over the cooked brown rice.

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Notes

Cooking Tips:

• If you don’t want this dish to be less spicy, or not spicy at all, reduce or omit the Thai chilies and serrano pepper.
• If you want it to be spicy but can’t find Thai chilies and/or a serrano pepper, try it with jalapeno.

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Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe
• Calories: 354
• Sugar: 5g
• Sodium: 489mg
• Fat: 16g
• Saturated Fat: 2g
• Unsaturated Fat: 14g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 34g
• Fiber: 6g
• Protein: 16g
• Cholesterol: 1mg

Keywords: wok, stir fry, tofu, vegetarian, global