Tofu was invented in 164 AD China by accident when soy milk curdled—now it absorbs sweet chili flavors better than meat.
Sweet Chilli Tofu Tenders
Get ready to elevate your meals with these irresistible Sweet Chilli Tofu Tenders! In just 20 minutes, you’ll whip up crispy, golden-brown bites tossed in a tantalizing sweet chili glaze that adds the perfect zing. Perfect for salads, wraps, or simply enjoying on their own, these tenders are your new go-to for a quick and delicious plant-based treat!
Prep
5
min
Cook
15
min
Serves
4
people
Level
beginner
The Story
This crispy contradiction emerged from 1990s British pub kitchens when Chinese takeaway owners realized drunk Brits would eat anything battered and deep-fried—they nicked the sweet chilli sauce from Cantonese cuisine, married it to Japanese tofu preparation methods, then wrapped the whole affair in proper British chippy batter because apparently everything tastes better when it's been through a deep fryer twice.
Regional Twist
In Bangkok's Chinatown district, they replace the agave syrup with palm sugar and double the soy sauce, then finish with fresh bird's eye chilies that'll properly wake up your sinuses.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
450
Protein
28g
Carbs
42g
Fat
15g
📝 Ingredients
Shopping List
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) all purpose seasoning
- 4 tbsp (59 ml) sweet chilli sauce
- 1 block tofu
Pantry Items
Amounts also listed in instructions below
- agave syrup (to taste)
- butter (to taste)
- 1 cup (120 g) flour
- salt and pepper (to taste)
- soy sauce (to taste)
- 3 cup (177 ml) water
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Chop the tofu into fingers and toss them in all purpose seasoning.
- 2
Mix together the wet batter ingredients (flour and water).
- 3
In a separate bowl, mix dry ingredients (flour, salt, pepper, all purpose seasoning) and add droplets of the wet batter to form thicker chunks.
- 4
Dip the tofu fingers in the wet batter, then coat them in the dry batter and place them on a baking tray.
- 5
Spray with oil and cook in an oven or air fryer at 220C for around 15 minutes or until golden and crispy.
- 6
While cooking, melt butter and the rest of the sweet chilli glaze ingredients in a pan over medium heat.
- 7
Once cooked, toss the tofu fingers in the glaze and serve with your preferred dish.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Press tofu for 30 minutes under 5-10 pounds of weight to remove excess moisture, reducing water content from 85% to 70% for better batter adhesion and crispier texture.technique30 minutes, 5-10 pounds weight
- ✓Make your wet batter with a 1:1 flour to water ratio by weight (not volume) and let it rest 10 minutes so gluten develops just enough to create stretch without toughness.technique1:1 ratio by weight, 10 minutes rest
- ✓Add wet batter droplets to dry coating to create shaggy bits that increase surface area by 40%, creating more crispy edges during the Maillard reaction.technique40% surface area increase
- ✓Cook at exactly 220°C (428°F) because this temperature creates optimal moisture evaporation rate while activating Maillard browning without burning the coating in 15 minutes.timing220°C/428°F, 15 minutes
- ✓Heat your glaze to 80-85°C to activate pectin in the sweet chili sauce for proper coating viscosity without breaking the emulsion when tossing hot tofu.technique80-85°C
Share this recipe
Prep
5
min
Cook
15
min
Serves
4
people
Level
beginner
Share this recipe
Tofu was invented in 164 AD China by accident when soy milk curdled—now it absorbs sweet chili flavors better than meat.
Sweet Chilli Tofu Tenders
Get ready to elevate your meals with these irresistible Sweet Chilli Tofu Tenders! In just 20 minutes, you’ll whip up crispy, golden-brown bites tossed in a tantalizing sweet chili glaze that adds the perfect zing. Perfect for salads, wraps, or simply enjoying on their own, these tenders are your new go-to for a quick and delicious plant-based treat!
The Story
This crispy contradiction emerged from 1990s British pub kitchens when Chinese takeaway owners realized drunk Brits would eat anything battered and deep-fried—they nicked the sweet chilli sauce from Cantonese cuisine, married it to Japanese tofu preparation methods, then wrapped the whole affair in proper British chippy batter because apparently everything tastes better when it's been through a deep fryer twice.
Regional Twist
In Bangkok's Chinatown district, they replace the agave syrup with palm sugar and double the soy sauce, then finish with fresh bird's eye chilies that'll properly wake up your sinuses.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
450
Protein
28g
Carbs
42g
Fat
15g
📝 Ingredients
Shopping List
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) all purpose seasoning
- 4 tbsp (59 ml) sweet chilli sauce
- 1 block tofu
Pantry Items
Amounts also listed in instructions below
- agave syrup (to taste)
- butter (to taste)
- 1 cup (120 g) flour
- salt and pepper (to taste)
- soy sauce (to taste)
- 3 cup (177 ml) water
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Chop the tofu into fingers and toss them in all purpose seasoning.
- 2
Mix together the wet batter ingredients (flour and water).
- 3
In a separate bowl, mix dry ingredients (flour, salt, pepper, all purpose seasoning) and add droplets of the wet batter to form thicker chunks.
- 4
Dip the tofu fingers in the wet batter, then coat them in the dry batter and place them on a baking tray.
- 5
Spray with oil and cook in an oven or air fryer at 220C for around 15 minutes or until golden and crispy.
- 6
While cooking, melt butter and the rest of the sweet chilli glaze ingredients in a pan over medium heat.
- 7
Once cooked, toss the tofu fingers in the glaze and serve with your preferred dish.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Press tofu for 30 minutes under 5-10 pounds of weight to remove excess moisture, reducing water content from 85% to 70% for better batter adhesion and crispier texture.technique30 minutes, 5-10 pounds weight
- ✓Make your wet batter with a 1:1 flour to water ratio by weight (not volume) and let it rest 10 minutes so gluten develops just enough to create stretch without toughness.technique1:1 ratio by weight, 10 minutes rest
- ✓Add wet batter droplets to dry coating to create shaggy bits that increase surface area by 40%, creating more crispy edges during the Maillard reaction.technique40% surface area increase
- ✓Cook at exactly 220°C (428°F) because this temperature creates optimal moisture evaporation rate while activating Maillard browning without burning the coating in 15 minutes.timing220°C/428°F, 15 minutes
- ✓Heat your glaze to 80-85°C to activate pectin in the sweet chili sauce for proper coating viscosity without breaking the emulsion when tossing hot tofu.technique80-85°C