I’m going to be very honest, this is my FAVORITE stir fry recipe that I’ve ever created. And I hope you would feel the same when you do make it; it’s super easy to prepare and it, absolutely, takes (almost) no time to make. Trust me, you’ll be done preparing it in a flash and it’ll disappear, even faster, once you’ve tried it. The aromatic flavors of the lemongrass gives such a fresh, sophisticated touch to compliment flavors you probably already have lying around at home. And if you are looking to switch up your weeknight dinners and meal preps, this recipe might be for you.
If you enjoy Southeast Asian cooking, you may be familiar with lemongrass. Being a Filipino, we call this tanglad and is often used as a herbal remedy in homemade teas for detoxification, aiding digestion, lowering blood pressure levels, nausea, remedies for coughs and the common cold, and can also be used up as a natural mouthwash for its aromatic nature. Growing up, I would often brew a cup of salabat or fresh ginger tea mixed in with lemongrass for my dad after every meal to aide digestion before going to bed. So not only is it flavorful but using this particular herb has its benefits when you use it in cooking as well – which is the inspiration for this recipe.
My favorite food places to order take-out are from Thai and Vietnamese restaurants. And for the reason being that they know how to turn simple ingredients into something so flavorful. One of my go-to dishes to order is a lemongrass tofu stir fry. Even before going plant-based, I can never go without some kind of crispy tofu stir fried dish at some restaurant. And when you pair it with a freshly steamed cup of rice and chili garlic sauce, it is absolute heaven!
Lemongrass is fragrant, bold (but also delicate), and has a floral note. Texture and looks wise, it is tough and can be easily mistaken for chives or green onions in grocery stores. But these herbs are on the stiffer and sharper side so they will not bend or break easily compared to chives or green onions. Before making this recipe, I do highly recommend sharpening your knives because these babies can be stubborn to chop. But don’t worry, if you’ve never cooked with lemongrass, they’re not intimidating or hard to cook with at all.
PRO-TIPS BEFORE COOKING:
- Lemongrass can be tough to chop. To make this easier for you, beat the lemongrass by using the bottom of a cup/bottle, butterknife, or rolling pin. This will, not only, help with chopping it but it will also help open up the flavors when cooking. Using a sharp knife will also make it easier.
- For this recipe, we are only using the bottom half of the lemongrass and save the greens (which you can use to brew for teas, soups, and marinades). Finely chop the lemongrass as if you were to chop green onions. You can use the lemongrass greens as a garnish (or presentation purposes to give the dish more color) but they can be sharp or tough to consume.
- Pan fry your tofu until it is golden brown for better results. I would highly recommend you press out excess liquids of your tofu and patting dry before frying to avoid a watery tofu in the center. It will also help absorb the flavor when most of the liquids have been drawn out.
- For those who would rather bake the tofu as opposed to pan frying, you can bake it at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for 20-30 minutes or until golden brown (flipping it halfway through) and spraying it with a coat of cooking spray before baking. Though results may yield a bit dryer and chewier compared to fried.
- Recipe calls for a tablespoon of sambal oelek (chili garlic paste), if you tolerance for spicy is not that high, you can reduce the amount.
Give this recipe a try and if you like what you see, please help me by liking this recipe or adding a comment in the comment box down below. Follow me on Instagram and don’t forget to tag me when you create recipes!
Lemongrass Tofu Stir Fry
Equipment
- frying pan or cast iron skillet
- Mixing bowl
Ingredients
FOR THE TOFU
- 1 block (14oz) extra firm tofu pressed & pat dry
- 2 stalks (about 2 tbsp) chopped lemongrass bottom half only
- ½ large yellow or white onion thinly sliced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tbsp sambal oelek or chili garlic paste
- 2 tbsp cooking oil
- salt & pepper to taste
FOR THE SAUCE
- 3 tbsp low sodium tamari (or low sodium soy sauce)
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- ½ tbsp organic brown sugar
- ½ tsp corn starch
- 1 tsp sesame oil (optional)
Instructions
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk all sauce ingredients together and set aside.
- Prepare your ingredients. Press the tofu gently to squeeze out excess liquids. Chop into bite-sized cubes and pat dry before pan frying. Prepare aromatics such as the onions and garlic. For the lemongrass, rinse and chop off the root. Before chopping the bottom half of the lemongrass, beat (or bruise) the stem to losen up and open up the aroma and flavor. Chop into small pieces. Reserve the greens for another use or for garnish.
- Preheat frying pan or cast iron skillet to medium high. Evenly coat with oil. Toss in the tofu to pan fry. Season with a little salt & pepper. Flip the tofu on each side until it has turned golden brown or crispy. Set aside cooked tofu to clear the pan.
- Using the same pan (or skillet), toss in the garlic and lemongrass. Mix and sauté for 1-2 minutes or until fragrant. Add in the onions and sauté until onions are transluscent. Mix in the chili garlic paste or sambal oelek and stir. Add the tofu back into the pan and mix until all ingredients are well combined. Gradually pour in the sauce, a tablespoon at a time and mix, until tofu is well coated. Turn down heat to medium low to simmer for 4-5 minutes.
- Turn off heat. Best served fresh on a bed of rice. Garnish with green lemongrass leaves (optional).