Sweet and Spicy Tofu

I created this dish with the initial intention of making a simple hiyayakko (cold silken tofu with soy and scallions). What a surprise it was when I tasted it; sweet and umami filled with a hint of sesame oil and heat!

This sweet and spicy tofu recipe has a very distinct Schezuan flavor and it’s something I’ve been making on a regular basis ever since. My husband cannot believe how much he likes this dish, last night he said “if you’d told me 15 years ago that I was going to like and crave tofu this much, I would’ve called you crazy!” As you can see, there’s nothing boring about this dish and it’s also very healthy!

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silken tofu with scallions and bonito flakes

Sweet and spicy tofu

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 1 review
  • Author: Caroline Phelps
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 0 minutes
  • Total Time: 10 minutes
  • Yield: 4 1x
  • Category: Appetizer
  • Method: Slicing
  • Cuisine: Japanese
  • Diet: Vegetarian
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Description

This is a sweet and spicy silken tofu dish, similar to hiyayakko.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 12 ounce block silken tofu, cut into small cubes
  • 3 stalks scallions, finely chopped
  • 1 thumb size ginger, peeled and grated
  • 1 tablespoon bonito flakes (katsuobushi)
  • 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon mirin
  • 1 tablespoon chili oil

Instructions

  1. In a small bowl, mix the soy sauce, mirin, and chili oil. Set aside.
  2. Transfer the tofu to a serving plate and top with green onions and grated ginger.
  3. Pour the sauce over the tofu and sprinkle with bonito flakes. Serve.

Notes

Because tofu releases a lot of water and will eventually water down the taste of the sauce, it’s best eaten fresh.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 serving
  • Calories: 101
  • Sugar: 2.7g
  • Sodium: 255mg
  • Fat: 6.4g
  • Saturated Fat: 1g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 1.9g
  • Trans Fat: 0g
  • Carbohydrates: 5.2g
  • Fiber: 0.6g
  • Protein: 6.3g
  • Cholesterol: 0.3mg
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Caroline Caron Phelps

Meet The Author: Caroline Phelps

Caroline Caron-Phelps is a recipe creator, food blogger, and photographer. She showcases delicious, authentic Asian recipes, especially Japanese, Korean, and Chinese, with beautiful photography, easy-to-follow instructions, videos, and practical recipe variations. Caroline has been featured on Bon Appetit, Shape Magazine, Self, Today Show, and more.

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Questions and Reviews

  1. I’m addicted to this dish.  I made it a few months ago, but forgot to pin it!  I couldn’t find it and ended up making another one.  My bad!  Your recipe is so much better, I am so happy I found it again – I remembered that you wrote about your husband being surprised that he likes tofu.  I also made your buckwheat noodle dipping sauce for dinner along with some Shanghai bok choi.  Yum.



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  2. Found you over on Photograzing, and I’m glad I did! I do like tofu, but only firm/extra firm. Maybe your recipe will help me get into soft tofu!

    xx

    Reply