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    Home » All Recipes » Appetizer and Side dish » Vietnamese Lemongrass Chili Tofu (Dau Hu Chien Sa Ot)

    Vietnamese Lemongrass Chili Tofu (Dau Hu Chien Sa Ot)

    Published: Jul 31, 2019 Updated: Aug 4, 2020 by Sophie 3 Comments

    1.2K shares
    Jump to Recipe

    Vietnamese Lemongrass Chili Tofu (Dau Hu Chien Sa Ot) is a popular vegan Southern Vietnamese dish. Tofu is marinated with a lot of minced lemongrass and bird’s eye chili before being fried until golden, crispy and fragrant.

    Vietnamese Lemongrass Chili Tofu (Dau Hu Chien Sa Ot) is a popular vegan Southern Vietnamese dish. Tofu is marinated with a lot of minced lemongrass and bird's eye chili before being fried until golden, crispy and fragrant.

    Tofu can sometimes be plain and boring. With the addition of lemongrass and hot chili pepper, the fried tofu becomes aromatic with a nice kick. You can serve this dish with some soy sauce on the side as an appetizer or as a light main dishes to eat with rice.

    Ingredients

    To cook Lemongrass Chili Fried Tofu, you will need the following main ingredients: tofu, lemongrass, bird’s-eye chili, shallot, and garlic.

    I like to use medium-firm or firm tofu, which will result in a crispy crust and still soft interior when we pan-fry it. This type of tofu is what most Vietnamese home cooks use to make dau hu chien sa ot (or this fried tofu with scallions and fish sauce) at home.

    A block of tofu sliced into thin slices.

    Some restaurants in Saigon use soft or silken tofu to make Lemongrass Chili Tofu, and it is also very tasty. However, with soft or silken tofu, you will need to dust it with some cornstarch and then deep-fry it. Another disadvantage of using soft or silken tofu is it is impossible to marinate and infuse it with the fragrance of all the aromatics.

    Lemongrass and bird’s-eye chili can be found at Asian grocery stores and they both freeze well. These two ingredients, especially lemongrass, are used in a lot of Vietnamese Southern dishes. For example: Vietnamese grilled pork chops or Vietnamese grilled beef in wild betel leaves.

    Lemongrass, bird's eye chili, shallot and garlic

    How to Cook Vietnamese Lemongrass Chili Tofu

    Step 1: marinate the tofu with aromatics and chili pepper. You will need to mince the lemongrass as finely as you can and use the tender part only. You will soon see why :).

    It is a common practice to weigh the block of tofu down with some objects to remove excess water. This step can reduce splashing when frying as well as help the tofu crisp up faster.

    Is it a must to press tofu though? I’d say it depends on the block of tofu. I personally find that tofu from some brands don’t need to be pressed. So do what you know would work for your tofu.

    Step 2: time to pan-fry the tofu until golden and crispy after marinating it for 15 minutes (or longer for tastier results). Try to use your fingers to wipe away the minced aromatics from the tofu. We will toast the minced aromatics after frying the tofu.

    Step 3: toast/fry the aromatics. When toasting the minced aromatics, use medium-low heat to avoid burning and be patient. It will take them a few minutes to turn golden.

    The tricky part of this recipe is to make the minced aromatics crunchy. Therefore, when preparing the lemongrass, peel off the dry outer layer as well as discard the fibrous green part. Keep the white and very light green part only and mince as finely as you can, then they will turn crunchy once golden.

    I only add the minced garlic at the last minute when toasting the minced aromatics because garlic can get burned easily and leave a bitter taste. Once the minced aromatics are golden and crunchy, spinkle them all over the fried tofu and serve immediately. Detailed instructions are in the recipe card below.

    Vietnamese Lemongrass Chili Tofu (Dau Hu Chien Sa Ot) is a vegan dish with crispy fried tofu marinated with lemongrass and bird's eye chili.

    Other Tofu Recipes to Try

    • Steamed Tofu with Ground Pork
    • Steamed Tofu in Black Bean Sauce
    • Vietnamese Fried Tofu with Scallions

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

    Vietnamese Lemongrass Chili Tofu (Dau Hu Chien Sa Ot)

    Vietnamese Lemongrass Chili Tofu

    Vietnamese Lemongrass Chili Tofu (Dau Hu Chien Sa Ot) is a popular vegan Southern Vietnamese dish. Tofu is marinated with a lot of minced lemongrass and bird’s eye chili before being fried until golden, crispy and fragrant.
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Appetizers and Side dishes, Main Dish
    Cuisine: Vietnamese
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 10 minutes
    Marinating time: 15 minutes
    Total Time: 30 minutes
    Servings: 4 people
    Calories: 108kcal
    Author: Sophie

    Ingredients

    US Customary – Grams
    • 1 lb tofu (medium firm or firm)
    • 6-7 tablespoons finely minced lemongrass (3-4 stalks, white tender part only)
    • 1 1/2 tablespoons minced shallots
    • 2 teaspoons minced garlic
    • 2 bird’s-eye chili, seeds removed, minced
    • salt
    • cooking oil

    Instructions

    • Pat dry and slice tofu into 1/2 inch thick slices. If your tofu has a lot of excess of water, you may want to weigh the whole block of tofu with heavy objects for a few minutes before cutting into slices.
    • Add tofu slices, minced lemongrass, minced shallots, minced bird’s-eye chili and about 1/2 teaspoon of salt to a mixing bowl. Gently mix to coat tofu with minced aromatics evenly. Set aside for 15 minutes or longer for tastier results.
      Marinate tofu with minced lemongrass, shallots and bird's-eye chili
    • Place a pan over medium heat. Once the pan is hot, add cooking oil. Use your finger to wipe away minced aromatics (reserve these in the mixing bowl) from the tofu slices, then add the tofu slices to the pan in single layer. It is fine if some aromatics still stick to the tofu slices. Fry until golden and crispy, flip once or twice.
    • Transfer tofu slices to a clean plate (you may want to line it with paper towel to absorb excess oil). Discard all the oil and all the black bits in the pan.
    • Place the pan back over medium low heat. Add the minced aromatics used to marinate the tofu to the pan. Stir and toast until lightly golden, then add minced garlic and a pinch of salt (to taste). Continue to toast until the minced aromatics are deep golden and crunchy. Adjust heat as needed to avoid burning them. It may take a few minutes.
      Toasting aromatics
    • Place tofu slices on a serving plate and sprinkle all the toasted minced aromatics on top. Serve immediately.

    Notes

    A different workflow you can take is toasting the aromatics first after wiping them off the tofu slices, then fry the tofu. Or fry the tofu in one pan and toast the aromatics in a different pan to speed up cooking process.
    Make sure you peel off 1-2 dry outer layers of the lemongrass stalks and discard the green fibrous part. For the toasted aromatics to turn out crunchy, use only white (and very light green) tender parts and mince as finely as you can. Be patient when toasting.
    You can serve this dish with some soy sauce on the side as an appetizer or as a light main dishes to eat with rice.
    You can half the recipe to make two servings.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 108kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 0g | Cholesterol: 0mg | Sodium: 5mg | Potassium: 66mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 0g | Vitamin A: 20IU | Vitamin C: 4.4mg | Calcium: 149mg | Iron: 2mg
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. shane blackman

      July 01, 2021 at 10:22 pm

      5 stars
      My local chinese grocer has it pre made fair dinkum delicious….

      Reply
    2. Michelle

      June 16, 2020 at 1:40 am

      5 stars
      I can’t wait to make it!! Looking delicious 😍

      Reply
      • Sophie

        June 16, 2020 at 8:03 am

        Thank you! I hope you will like it :).

        Reply

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    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…

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