Baked tofu stuffed with beansprouts is an appetizer that is made with baked tofu stuffed with jicama, cucumber, carrots, and beansprouts. This dish is commonly prepared in South East Asian countries such as Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Thailand.
A word on ingredients:
- Jicama: Jicama is a vegetable that is also known as Mexican or Chinese potato and has several health benefits. Jicama is almost like a hybrid between a potato and an apple. However, it is not as sweet as an apple, but much healthier than a potato. This vegetable is loaded with Vitamin C that boosts immunity, Vitamin B6 that supports brain functions, antioxidants for preventing cell damage, and dietary fiber.
2. Carrots: Carrots need to be peeled or you could use baby carrots. I used English cucumber where I deseeded it and used the thick part of the flesh after peeling it. (I used the seeds in another salad the following day)
3. Beansprouts: Beansprouts must be fresh such that when you snip it, it crunches. This is essential especially because this dish is a salad which calls for fresh ingredients. Adding shredded carrots, cucumber, beansprouts, and jicama to the tofu triangle makes it a complete meal.
4. Tofu: Tofu or soybean curd is packed with protein that I prepare in many ways and consume at least once a week. It is a versatile ingredient that I have mixed and matched it with various vegetables and have never been disappointed. Tofu can also be baked or even air fried. I have baked it here as I wanted a crispy outer covering and chewy inner texture. I have included a ballpark quantity, but you could either increase or decrease the amount of stuffing.
How to serve the baked tofu stuffed with beansprouts:
This appetizer is ideally served with peanut sauce that is made with lemongrass, peanuts, and other ingredients. I first had this dish in Indonesia where it seemed like a common appetizer. In some restaurants, this was served with chili sauce while others served it with peanut sauce. My personal choice has been with my homemade peanut sauce. This peanut sauce is slightly different from the satay sauce that I make for chicken or lamb satay where I add fresh green chili to the sauce along with some coconut oil. I have made the sauce’s heat quite manageable, but you could always increase the spicy quotient by adding more chilis. You could use the store-bought version of peanut sauce (picture below).
1. Beansprouts are an absolute must for this appetizer.
2. I soaked the shredded veggies in cold water mixed with white vinegar for 10 minutes for added flavor. You can skip this step.
3. You could alternatively pan-fry the tofu in a non-stick skillet with a few drops of oil.
4. My daughter makes baked tofu by putting a heavy plate on top of the tofu and drains the water for an hour. She then bakes the tofu cubes for 40 minutes in a hot oven without any oil or cornstarch. We love the baked tofu as it has no oil in it but is still very crispy!
Other Indonesian recipes that you might want to try:
Baked Tofu Stuffed With Beansprouts
Equipment
- Oven
Ingredients
For the Baked Tofu:
- 1 pack firm tofu
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp white pepper powder
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 2 tbsp peanut oil
For the stuffing:
- 1 jicama peeled and shredded
- 5 baby carrots shredded
- 1 cucumber peeled and shredded
- 1 pack beansprouts
For the Peanut Sauce:
- ½ cup peanuts crushed (skinless)
- 6 tbsp peanut butter creamy
- ½ tp salt
- 1 green chili
- 1 lemongrass white part only
- ½ tsp ginger grated
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
- ⅓ tsp tamarind seedless
- 1 tbsp filtered water
Instructions
How to make Baked Tofu:
- Drain the water from the package.
- Wrap the tofu in a clean kitchen towel and put a small plate and a small jar on top for 30 minutes.
- Wipe off any excess with kitchen paper, cut into triangles, and mix the above ingredients except the corn starch.
- Finally, dust with corn starch and rub evenly on all sides of the tofu.
- Drizzle peanut oil and bake on a foil lined tray at 4000F for 30-40minutes or until golden brown. Flip them over twice while baking.
How to make the Peanut Sauce:
- Grind all the above ingredients in a blender except the crushed peanuts. Add the crushed peanuts after you have blended for the sauce.
How to assemble the Baked Tofu:
- Absorb any excess oil on the tofu using a kitchen paper and make a slit in the center.
- Stuff with shredded carrots, beansprouts, cucumber, and jicama.
- Serve with peanut sauce.
Notes
- You could substitute radish for jicama.
- You could purchase the peanut sauce (picture above), but I like the homemade version.
Nutrition
homemade peanut sauce is the best!