Recipe Steamed Silken Tofu with Chilli Oil & Herbs
If you thought tofu couldn’t be the star of the show, you haven’t tried it gently steamed and covered in lemongrass, ginger, sesame oil, and chilli — among other things! It is genuinely a game changer.
You will need
Serves 2
- 300g silken tofu
- 4-5 inches of lemongrass stalk (remove the woody outer layer, just use the inner softer stalk)
- Thumb fresh ginger
- 2 spring onion stalks
- 1 clove garlic
- 20ml sesame oil
- 50ml peanut oil
For topping
- 2 tablespoons peanuts, roasted
- 2 tablespoons spring onion greens, chopped
- 2 tablespoons coriander stems
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon crunchy chilli oil
Recipe: Simon Toohey
Directions
-
Step 1
Place a bamboo steamer over a pot of boiling water, place silken tofu on baking paper and steam for 7–10 minutes.
-
Step 2
While that is happening, bash and blend the lemongrass, ginger, garlic, spring onion whites (save the greens for serving) and coriander to a paste.
-
Step 3
Take the tofu out of the steam and drain/ pat dry before plating. Spoon the blended ingredients over the tofu.
-
Step 4
Put the oils in a small pan and bring to smoking point then very gently, pour the smoking oil over the tofu & herbs — it will sizzle as you pour! This will really bring out the aromatic notes from the herbs.
-
Step 5
Once the frying has stopped, top with peanuts, spring onion greens, coriander, crunchy chilli oil and soy sauce.
Recipe: Simon Toohey
More recipes like this

Directions
-
Step 1
Place a bamboo steamer over a pot of boiling water, place silken tofu on baking paper and steam for 7–10 minutes.
-
Step 2
While that is happening, bash and blend the lemongrass, ginger, garlic, spring onion whites (save the greens for serving) and coriander to a paste.
-
Step 3
Take the tofu out of the steam and drain/ pat dry before plating. Spoon the blended ingredients over the tofu.
-
Step 4
Put the oils in a small pan and bring to smoking point then very gently, pour the smoking oil over the tofu & herbs — it will sizzle as you pour! This will really bring out the aromatic notes from the herbs.
-
Step 5
Once the frying has stopped, top with peanuts, spring onion greens, coriander, crunchy chilli oil and soy sauce.
You will need
Serves 2
- 300g silken tofu
- 4-5 inches of lemongrass stalk (remove the woody outer layer, just use the inner softer stalk)
- Thumb fresh ginger
- 2 spring onion stalks
- 1 clove garlic
- 20ml sesame oil
- 50ml peanut oil
For topping
- 2 tablespoons peanuts, roasted
- 2 tablespoons spring onion greens, chopped
- 2 tablespoons coriander stems
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon crunchy chilli oil