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Creamy Coconut Lime Tofu Recipe

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4.1 from 7 reviews

This Creamy Coconut Lime Tofu recipe combines crispy air-fried tofu with a fragrant, tangy coconut lime sauce infused with dried chillies, shiitake mushrooms, and fresh herbs. Perfect for a quick, flavorful, and satisfying vegan meal served over steamed rice or noodles.

Ingredients

Chilli Paste Ingredients

  • 8 dried chillies, deseeded
  • 3 dried shiitake mushrooms
  • 3 cloves of garlic
  • 1 inch piece of ginger
  • 2 shallots

Tofu and Coating

  • 500g firm tofu, chopped into bite-sized pieces
  • 1 tbsp cornflour (corn starch in US)
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp neutral flavoured oil (sunflower, rapeseed, or vegetable oil) for coating

Coconut Lime Sauce

  • 400ml coconut milk
  • 2 tbsp light soy sauce
  • 1/2 tbsp palm sugar or brown sugar
  • Zest and juice of half a lime
  • 2 tbsp neutral flavoured oil for sautéing

Finishing Touches

  • 2 fresh red chillies, sliced
  • Handful of Thai basil (or coriander as substitute)

Instructions

  1. Deseed the Dried Chillies: Start by carefully removing and discarding the seeds from the dried chillies by hand to reduce heat and prepare for soaking.
  2. Soak Chillies and Mushrooms: Place the deseeded dried chillies and dried shiitake mushrooms into a heatproof bowl. Pour boiling water over them to fully submerge, cover the bowl, and let them soak for 15 minutes to soften.
  3. Make Chilli Paste: Transfer the soaked chillies and mushrooms to a food processor or blender along with chopped shallots, garlic, and ginger. Add 3-4 tablespoons of the soaking water to help blend. Blitz until a smooth chilli paste forms.
  4. Prepare Tofu: Chop firm tofu into bite-sized pieces. In a mixing bowl, combine tofu with 1 tablespoon of oil, salt, and cornflour. Gently toss until tofu is evenly coated.
  5. Air Fry Tofu: Preheat air fryer to 185ºC (365ºF). Arrange tofu pieces in the basket in a single layer. Air fry for 15 minutes, flipping once halfway through, until tofu is crispy and golden.
  6. Sauté Chilli Paste: While tofu is air frying, heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a pan over medium-low heat. Add the chilli paste and cook for 2-3 minutes to remove rawness from the aromatics.
  7. Add Coconut Milk and Seasonings: Lower heat to low. Add coconut milk to the pan, then fill the empty coconut milk tin halfway with water, swirl to collect residue, and pour it into the pan. Stir in soy sauce, sugar, and the zest of half a lime. Simmer gently for 2-3 minutes.
  8. Combine Tofu and Sauce: Add the crispy tofu to the coconut sauce along with sliced fresh red chillies, Thai basil (or coriander), and a squeeze of juice from half the lime. Simmer for 1 minute to heat everything through.
  9. Serve: Spoon the creamy coconut lime tofu over steamed rice or noodles and enjoy immediately.

Notes

  • The dried shiitake mushrooms add umami depth; if unavailable, substitute with dried porcini or omit.
  • You can substitute Thai basil with coriander for a different herbal note.
  • If you don’t have an air fryer, tofu can be baked at 200ºC (400ºF) for 20 minutes, flipping halfway.
  • Be careful when deseeding dried chillies; use gloves if sensitive to spice.
  • Use firm tofu to ensure the pieces hold their shape and get crispy during air frying.

Find it online: https://bitezly.com/creamy-coconut-lime-tofu-recipe/