• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Delightful Plate
  • Vietnamese Recipes
  • Recipe Index
    • Recipe Index
    • Recipe Filter
  • Cookbook
  • Pantry
  • About
  • Contact
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Vietnamese Recipes
  • Recipe Index
  • Recipe Filter
  • Cookbook
  • Pantry
  • About
  • Contact
    • YouTube
    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
    • Instagram
    • RSS
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Vietnamese Recipes
    • Recipe Index
    • Recipe Filter
    • Cookbook
    • Pantry
    • About
    • Contact
    • YouTube
    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
    • Instagram
    • RSS
  • ×

    Home » All Recipes » Appetizer and Side dish » Vietnamese Fried Tofu with Scallions

    Vietnamese Fried Tofu with Scallions

    Published: Mar 24, 2020 Updated: Aug 4, 2020 by Sophie 4 Comments

    358 shares
    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video

    Vietnamese Fried Tofu with Scallions (Dau ran tam hanh) is a rustic Northern Vietnamese dish, featuring crispy fried tofu dipped in scallion fish sauce mixture. It is a tasty side dish or even main dish you can make in just 20 minutes.

    A piece of fried tofu dipped in scallion fish sauce and served with a bowl of rice.

    Fried tofu with scallions (dau ran tam hanh) is in the daily meal rotation of a lot of Northerners. As it requires just 20 minutes and less than 5 ingredients, busy families love it.

    Tofu pieces are fried until crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. They are then dipped in a savory scallion fish sauce mixture, and they turn from boring into flavorful tofu.

    Watch how quick and easy to make this classic Northern Vietnamese dish in the video below. 

    Ingredients

    The main ingredients for this dish are:

    • tofu: I like to use medium-firm to firm tofu.
    • fish sauce
    • scallions
    • hot pork or chicken broth. You can also use hot water, but it will be a lot more delicious if you use broth.

    How to Cook Vietnamese Fried Tofu with Scallions

    a plate of fried tofu that has been dipped in scallion fish sauce mixture. Serve with a bowl of rice and sauce on the side.

    Notes for Frying Tofu

    The first step is to fry tofu until golden and crispy. Some people like to put heavy objects on tofu block for 10 minutes or so to drain out excess water before frying. I think it kinda depends on the tofu brand. The tofu I use doesn’t need this step, but you may want to do it if your stove is not powerful and your tofu seems to have a lot of excess water.

    To get my fried tofu crispy with the inside still soft, I like to use a deep fry pan with a lot of hot oil. That helps the tofu turn golden and crispy really quickly while keeping the inside soft. I also feel like when using a lot of hot oil to fry tofu, there will be less splashing.

    Putting the Dish Together

    Once you finish frying the tofu, drizzle some of the hot oil immediately over scallions slices. This extra step reduces the rawness of scallions while bringing out its fragrance. 

    After that, add the scallions to the mixture of fish sauce and hot broth (or water). Dip the tofu pieces into the sauce for a few seconds. Make sure you do this step while the tofu is still hot so that it can soak up the flavors from the sauce.

    dipping a slice of fried tofu in the fish sauce scallion mixture
    Dipping tofu in the scallion fish sauce mixture

    I can eat dau ran tam hanh on its own or with rice. Really love how little effort it requires to cook. Detailed list of ingredients and instructions are in the recipe card below.

    Wonder what else to do with tofu? You may want to check out these recipes:

    • Steamed Tofu with Ground Pork
    • Steamed Tofu in Black Bean Sauce
    • Vietnamese Lemongrass Chili Tofu (Dau Hu Chien Sa Ot)
    • Vietnamese Vegan Pho Noodle Soup (Pho Chay)

    I’d love to hear what you think about the dish, so please feel free to leave a comment. New recipes are added every week so let’s connect on Youtube, Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for the latest updates. You can find my collection of Vietnamese recipes here.

    A crispy slice of tofu that has been dipped in scallion fish sauce, served with rice

    Vietnamese Fried Tofu with Scallions

    Vietnamese Fried Tofu with Scallions (Dau ran tam hanh) is a rustic Northern Vietnamese dish, featuring crispy fried tofu dipped in scallion fish sauce mixture. It is a tasty side dish or even main dish you can make in just 20 minutes.
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Appetizers and Side dishes, Main Dish
    Cuisine: Vietnamese
    Keyword: fried tofu with scallions, vietnamese fried tofu
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 15 minutes
    Total Time: 20 minutes
    Servings: 2 people
    Calories: 213kcal
    Author: Sophie

    Ingredients

    US Customary – Grams
    • 1 lb tofu (medium-firm to firm)
    • 2 tablespoons fish sauce
    • 5 tablespoons hot pork or chicken broth, or hot water
    • 3 tablespoons thinly-sliced scallions, green parts (about 3-4 stalks)
    • cooking oil

    Instructions

    • Pat dry tofu and cut into 1-inch thick slices.
    • Heat a generous amount of oil in a deep fry pan over medium to medium-high heat (adjust heat as needed). Once the oil is hot, add tofu slices and let them cook until the bottom is golden, about 2-3 minutes.
    • Flip the tofu slices and cook the other side until it is also golden, another 2 minutes or so. Transfer tofu to a plate lined with paper towel.
    • Place scallion slices in a bowl, and drizzle 2-3 teaspoons of hot oil that you just used to fry the tofu over the scallions to partially cook them.
    • In a bowl, combine fish sauce with hot broth (or water). You can also heat the mixture by using your microwave. Taste and adjust to your liking. Scoop out the scallion slices (leaving the oil behind), and put into the mixture. Give it a stir.
    • Dip each tofu slice which is still very hot into the scallion fish sauce mixture for 5-6 seconds, then place them on a serving plate.
    • You can drizzle some of the sauce over the tofu slices on a serving plate, then dividing the remaining sauce into small dipping bowls for each person.

    Video

    Notes

    If your stove is not powerful and your tofu seems to have a lot of excess water, you may want to put heavy objects on tofu block for 10 minutes or so to drain out excess water before frying.
    Taste the fish sauce and broth/water mixture and adjust to your liking. You can add a pinch of sugar if you want, or add some black pepper or a few slices of bird’s eye chili.
    Make sure you dip the tofu slices into the dipping sauce while the tofu is still hot, otherwise it will be difficult to soak up flavors.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 213kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 1477mg | Potassium: 116mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 90IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 298mg | Iron: 3mg
    Tried this recipe?Comment & Rate below or Tag @delightfulplate on Instagram
    Liked our videos?Subscribe to our Youtube channel and cook along with us
    Disclosure: Delightful Plate is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. As an Amazon associate, we earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. We only recommend products we use and trust.
    Copyright: All content and photos on Delightful Plate are copyright protected. Please do not use them without our written permission. Thank you.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Viv N.

      January 31, 2022 at 11:27 pm

      5 stars
      Wow, this was so good! I used vegan fish sauce and added a pinch of sugar. I made this for Lunar New Year’s eve! My family loved it! Thank you so much! I will definitely make this again.

      Reply
      • Sophie

        February 11, 2022 at 4:20 am

        That’s fantastic to hear my recipe made it to your Lunar New Year’s Eve dinner and your family loved it. Thank you for sharing it turned out great with vegan fish sauce. I’m sure other readers will find it helpful to know :).

        Reply
    2. Amy D

      April 05, 2020 at 9:26 pm

      5 stars
      So simple and yummy, and with ingredients we always have in the refrigerator and pantry. Even my picky 1 year old and 4 year old loved it. Thank you for the recipe!

      Reply
      • Sophie

        April 06, 2020 at 10:03 am

        Hi Amy,
        Thank you so much for the comment! I’m so happy to hear that your family loved it. I also love how simple and yummy this dish is :).

        Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    About

    Hi, I'm Sophie! Delightful Plate is where I share authentic Vietnamese recipes that have been cooked in my family for years, as well as other Asian recipes and recipes inspired by ingredients and flavors from other cuisines. Read More…

    Never Miss A Recipe!

    Sign up and receive emails with free recipes once a month.

    BUY OUR EBOOK!

    real vietnamese homecooking cookbook
    Buy Now!

    Popular Recipes

    a plate of Vietnamese summer rolls (goi cuon)

    Vietnamese Fresh Spring Rolls (Goi Cuon)

    This Asian Steak Bites and Potatoes recipe features seared beef cubes and potatoes in a garlicky butter and soy-based sauce. It comes together in under 30 minutes and everything is cooked in just one pan. Easy weeknight dinner!

    Asian Steak Bites and Potatoes

    This scallop shrimp pasta with burst cherry tomatoes is perfect for not only quick and simple weeknight meals but also fancy date night dinners. It is so flavorful with sweetness from fresh seafood and umami from burst tomatoes.

    Scallop Shrimp Pasta with Burst Cherry Tomatoes

    This Vietnamese Pulled Pork Banh Mi features crispy bread, tender and flavorful pork, crunchy pickled vegetables and yummy sriracha mayo sauce. With the help of a slow cooker, this banh mi sandwich recipe is super easy to make.

    Slow Cooker Vietnamese Pulled Pork Banh Mi

    This baked shrimp toast features flavorful shrimp mixture on top of crispy bread. It is a quick and easy appetizer for parties, holidays or any occasions.

    Easy Baked Shrimp Toast

    Footer

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • About Us
    • Privacy Policy

    Stay Connected

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates
    • Contact Form

    Other Contents

    • Google Web Stories