Garlic Chili Oil Jasmine Rice Crispy Tofu (Printable)
Fluffy jasmine rice topped with crispy tofu and spicy garlic chili oil
# What You’ll Need:
→ Rice
01 - 1 1/2 cups jasmine rice
02 - 2 1/4 cups water
03 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
→ Crispy Tofu
04 - 14 ounces firm tofu, pressed and cubed
05 - 2 tablespoons cornstarch
06 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
07 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
08 - 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
→ Garlic Chili Oil
09 - 1/3 cup neutral oil (canola or sunflower)
10 - 4 garlic cloves, finely minced
11 - 2 tablespoons chili flakes
12 - 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
13 - 1 tablespoon soy sauce
14 - 1 teaspoon sugar
15 - 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
→ Garnishes
16 - 2 green onions, thinly sliced
17 - 1 small cucumber, thinly sliced
18 - 1 carrot, julienned
19 - Fresh cilantro leaves
20 - Lime wedges
# How-To Steps:
01 - Rinse the jasmine rice under cold water until the water runs clear. In a medium saucepan, combine rice, water, and salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork before serving.
02 - Pat tofu dry and cut into 3/4-inch cubes. In a bowl, toss tofu cubes with cornstarch, salt, and pepper until evenly coated. Heat vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add tofu and cook for 2–3 minutes per side until all sides are golden and crisp. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels to drain excess oil.
03 - In a small saucepan, heat the neutral oil over medium heat. Add minced garlic and cook for 1–2 minutes until fragrant but not browned. Remove from heat immediately. Add chili flakes, sesame seeds, soy sauce, sugar, and rice vinegar. Stir well and let cool slightly before serving.
04 - Divide the cooked jasmine rice among four bowls. Top with crispy tofu, cucumber slices, julienned carrot, and green onions. Drizzle generously with garlic chili oil. Garnish with fresh cilantro leaves and lime wedges if desired. Serve immediately while tofu remains crispy.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The contrast between fluffy jasmine rice and shatteringly crisp tofu creates this perfect texture balance that keeps every bite interesting
- That garlic chili oil is basically liquid gold and you will want to put it on everything from noodles to roasted vegetables
02 -
- Do not walk away from the garlic when making the chili oil, it goes from fragrant to burned in seconds
- Let the pressed tofu sit in the cornstarch coating for a few minutes before cooking, it sticks better and crisps up more evenly
03 -
- If your chili oil seems too thick after cooling, warm it slightly and whisk in a tiny bit more neutral oil
- Cut your tofu into uniform cubes so they all cook at the same rate and get equally crispy