Tauhu Sumbat (Malaysian Stuffed Tofu w Peanut Sambal)
Kristin Tan
Tauhu Sumbat is a Malaysian dish made by deep-frying tofu until golden brown, then stuffing it with assorted vegetables. Serve with a sweet and spicypeanut sambal for a delicious appetizer, side dish or snack.
Cut dried chili and soak in hot water for 10 minutes. Drain the liquid and remove the seeds.
Make sauce
In a blender, combine shallots, red chili, dried chili and water. Blend until smooth.
Over medium heat, add oil to a pan. Pour in the blended chili paste. Add the lime juice and season with brown sugar and salt to taste. Add in ground roasted peanuts and water. Let simmer over medium-low heat until the sambal has reduced to a thicker paste. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Fry tofu
Slice traditional/firm tofu into triangles and pat dry with a kitchen towel.
Add oil to a pot until it is deeper than the thickness of your tofu. Insert a wooden chopstick and if bubbles start to form around the edges, the oil is ready.
Deep fry tofu for 3-4 minutes, making sure they do not overcrowd the pan. If they start to stick, wait for them to form their outer skin then gently separate them. Once the tofu is golden brown, remove and set on a wire rack.
Assemble
Blanch beansprouts in boiling water for 10 seconds. Toss together the julienned carrot and cucumber.
Using a pair of scissors or a knife, cut a large hole in the middle of the tofu. Stuff the tofu with the veggie mixture. Repeat until all the tofu have been filled.
Serve with the peanut sambal.
Notes
If your tofu is slightly dense, you may need to remove some of tofu flesh in the middle to make space for the vegetables.The amount of sugar and lime juice depends on the spiciness of the chili. You may need to taste and adjust accordingly.