This recipe will take you through the steps of making your very own sweet chili sauce. However for time savings there are very good sauces already prepared available on the shelves of The Green Grocer.
Sweet Chili-Glazed Tofu
Serves 2
1 lb or 1 block extra firm tofu
3/4 cup agave nectar
¼ warm cup water
2 tablespoons chili garlic sauce (recipe below)
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons peanut oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 piece fresh ginger, grated
Salt to taste
Chopped peanuts or scallions for garnish
Rinse and drain tofu. Slice into 1-inch cubes. Pat with cloth or paper towels to remove excess water. Set aside.
In a small bowl, mix together agave, water, chili garlic sauce, vinegar, and red pepper flakes.
In small pot or pan, heat 1 tablespoon of oil. Add minced garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the sugar-chili-garlic mixture. Bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer until glaze thickens to syrup-like consistency, about 15 to 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat up a wok or large skillet. Coat the bottom with the remaining tablespoon of oil. Add tofu and stir-fry until the outsides start to turn golden brown, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and toss with sweet chili glaze. Serve with rice and garnish with chopped peanuts or scallions.
Chili Garlic Sauce
6 ounces hot chiles (e.g., cayenne, Fresnos, habanero, jalapeno, long, serrano, Thai, or a combination of them), stemmed and chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
½ teaspoon salt
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
Put all the ingredients in a food processor, process to a coarse texture. (Carefully take a whiff and it should make you sweat a bit.) Taste and adjust the flavor with extra salt or sugar. Transfer to a small saucepan, bring to a vigorous simmer over medium heat, lower the heat to gently simmer for about 5 minutes, or until it no longer smells raw. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool. Transfer to a jar and store in the refrigerator.