Indonesian Sticky Sesame Tofu
It’s June and my PC Black Label Box arrived, packed with three stellar new products to test out in my kitchen! I think you know how excited I get when I receive these boxes each month. I mean, it’s the type of jumping up and down excited. I know I’m nuts, but I can’t help it. That PC Black Label box is always so elegant looking, it reminds me of the perfect little evening dress. Plus, there is always an opportunity to #PlayWithYourFood involved and I love the culinary challenge.
I do have to say, I fell in love with all three PC Black Label products and once again was having a hard time choosing my favourite. The PC Black Label line is always so chock full of interesting products and this month was no different.
I received the PC Black Label “00” Pasta Flour, amazing if you’re using it in homemade pasta. Milled specially for pasta dough, this “00” flour is the finest grade of flour, with a silky soft texture. It’s absolutely perfect for creating traditional fresh pasta and gnocchi dishes.
I’m telling you, it’s just like a little taste of Italy in your kitchen.
Then there was the PC Black Label Roasted Cherry Tomatoes, These sweet Italian-grown cherry tomatoes, which are slow-roasted in the oven for eight hours. The result? A concentrated blend of deep, rich, savoury flavours bottled in extra virgin olive oil and sunflower oil with garlic, oregano and basil. A welcoming addition to pasta, pizzas, salads, sandwiches or antipasti platters.
And last but not least, the PC Black Label Sambal Matah (which I still can’t figure out how to pronounce but doesn’t “matah”). I’m a huge fan of Thai and Indonesian cuisine and lately have been making recipes with tofu on a weekly basis. I figured that with the addition of this Sambal Matah in a sticky Thai sauce, this recipe would be taken to the next level. And guess what? It was! This sauce is commonly used in Balinese cuisine.
It has intense flavour and is a sweet chili condiment made with cherry peppers, shallots, garlic and lemongrass. You can use it in so many dishes including curries, rice, fish and noodles. If I had it my way, I would eat it right of the jar with a spoon.
So, let me tell you how I created this yummy dish. I used my usual tactics and basically emptied out the contents of my fridge to make this recipe. I have to say, I love doing that. A little bit of this and a little bit of that, plus the addition of the Sambal Matah. This sauce gave my recipe a unique exotic flavour with the addition of sweet and spicy. Two of my favourite combos.
When using tofu in recipes, I always use the extra firm one.
The less liquid you have from the tofu, the crispier the dish. I don’t have a tofu press (and definitely need to get one), but you can absolutely squeeze the living daylights out of it by simply wrapping it in a clean dish towel and stacking heavy objects on top. I take a cast iron skillet and all my PC Black Label jars out of my cupboard to create weight on top of the tofu. Best advice? Leave it on your counter for at least 30 minutes to an hour, to ensure that the liquid is drained from the block of tofu.
The other trick I love to do is to coat the tofu in cornstarch. Easiest way to do this without having a huge cloud of cornstarch dust flying everywhere? Place the starch into a zippered plastic bag. Throw your cubed tofu in and shakey shakey.
Next time you’re looking for an amazing sauce to add to your recipes, reach for this PC Black Label Sambal Matah. Crack it open and take a whiff. It’s like Bali in a jar.
- 1 block extra firm tofu
- 2 - 3 tablespoons corn starch
- SAUCE
- 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons PC Black Label Sambal Matah
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- GARNISH
- black & white sesame seeds, steamed baby bok choy and basmati rice
- Prepare tofu by draining all liquid from the block. I wrap it in a clean dish towel and place a cast iron skillet and heavy jars or cans on top of it. Leave it to drain for at least 30 minutes to an hour.
- Cut tofu into bite size chunks.
- Place cornstarch into a large plastic zip bag, drop in tofu, seal and shake until all the pieces are coated.
- Prepare sauce by whisking the balance of all ingredients in a small bowl.
- Heat a large cast iron skillet with two tablespoons of olive oil. Fry tofu until golden brown and crispy on all sides. Pour sauce over tofu and cook until sticky and caramelized. Garnish with sesame seeds, bok choy and serve hot with steamed rice.
(This post is sponsored by President’s Choice. I used their PC Black Label Sambal Matah in this exotic Indonesian inspired tofu recipe. All thoughts and opinion are my own.)
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