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Chinese Silken Tofu is the perfect cold tofu dish that’s savory, spicy, and so delicious! I love how the delicate tofu soaks up the dressing and the best part is that the dish comes together in minutes! This is one of my favorite ways to eat tofu and once you see how simple and easy it is to make Chinese Silken Tofu, you’re going to love it too!
Watch the Chinese Silken Tofu Recipe Video Below!
Table of Contents
Recipe Tips for Chinese Silken Tofu
How to Pick the Right Type of Tofu
When you go to any Asian grocery, you will notice there are many types of tofus in the refrigerated (and shelf-staple) section. Today, I’m going to quickly review the different types of tofu and when they should be used.
Silken or Soft Tofu – This is the type of tofu you’ll need for Chinese Silken Tofu!
- This type of tofu has the most water content and will be the softest of the varieties you’ll find in your grocery store.
- It’s silky and very pliable due to this high water content, similar to the consistency of a soft cheese.
Regular (Medium) Tofu
- Regular tofu is typically best for soups and stews. It is sometimes labeled as “medium” firmness.
- You want to use this tofu when you want a tofu that is soft enough to soak up sauce or braising liquid, but firm enough to not fall apart.
Firm or Extra Firm Tofu
- Firm or extra firm tofu is the variety with the least amount of water content.
- The tofu is dense, similar to the consistency of meat, and is my favorite to use in recipes, as it holds up very well.
- I love braising it in in dishes like Mapo Tofu or Korean Braised Tofu.
- It’s also great for frying, like in Spicy Honey Garlic Tofu or Salt and Pepper Tofu.
- Due to the dense nature, it also holds up well even when boiled, like in Hot and Sour Soup.
Other Ingredients
- light soy sauce (I use reduced sodium) – this is “light” or “all-purpose” soy sauce; do not use dark soy sauce, as it is too thick and sweet for this recipe!
- chili oil – I like to use my homemade chili oil! I get asked all the time what brand of chili oil is my favorite and I always say – my own! Making your own chili oil ensures that you can control for the quality of the ingredients, as well as customize to your liking. If you’re interested to making chili oil at home, definitely give my recipe a try!
- sesame oil
- rice vinegar – if you do not have any rice vinegar on hand, you can substitute with mirin or apple cider vinegar
- sugar
- garlic, grated
- ginger, grated
- scallions
- sesame seeds
Want super crispy tofu? Make Air Fryer Tofu instead!
Recipe Instructions for Chinese Silken Tofu
1. Prepare the Tofu
Gently remove the tofu from the package. Soft or silken tofu is very delicate, so here are my tips on removing the silken tofu from the package without breaking it:
- Peel the cover off the tofu package
- Place several layers of paper towel over the tofu package and then flip over on a plate. You want to drain the liquid out of the package, which can take 1-2 minutes. Draining the liquid will help the tofu absorb the dressing better and not be diluted.
- Flip the tofu package again and remove the paper towels.
- Take a flat plate (large enough to cover the tofu package) and place it over the tofu package.
- Flip the tofu package and plate over on to a flat surface; the tofu package should now be upside down ON the plate.
- If needed, you can cut small openings in the corners of the package – this helps air get into the tofu package and makes it easier to remove the tofu.
- Gently lift the tofu package up and remove. The whole piece of silken tofu should now be on the plate.
Once the tofu is on the plate, cut it into thin slabs. I like to fan them out on an angle. Refer to the images or video of the Chinese Silken Tofu.
2. Make the Chinese Silken Tofu Dressing
The recipe for Chinese Silken Tofu dressing is very simple and easy to make!
In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, chili oil, sesame oil, rice vinegar, sugar, grated garlic and ginger, chopped scallions, and sesame seeds. With a whisk or fork, mix together until thoroughly combined. Set aside.
3. Pour the Dressing Over the Tofu
Take your Chinese Silken Tofu dressing and gently pour it over the sliced tofu. Make sure to let the tofu soak up all that deliciously spicy, savory sauce!
PRO TIPS
Expert Tips for Chinese Silken Tofu
Use the Right Kind of Tofu
For this recipe, you should use Silken or Soft Tofu.
- This type of tofu has the most water content and will be the softest of the varieties you’ll find in your grocery store.
- It’s silky and very pliable due to this high water content, similar to the consistency of a soft cheese.
Drain Silken Tofu
Peel the cover off the tofu package and place several layers of paper towel over the tofu package; flip over on to a plate. You want to drain the liquid out of the package, which can take 1-2 minutes. Draining the liquid will help the tofu absorb the dressing better and not be diluted.
How to Remove Silken Tofu
Soft or silken tofu is very delicate, so here are my tips on removing the silken tofu from the package without breaking it:
- After draining, remove paper towels and place a plate on top of the tofu package. Flip the tofu package and plate so the tofu package is now upside down ON the plate.
- If needed, you can cut small openings in the corners of the package – this helps air get into the tofu package and makes it easier to remove the tofu.
- Gently lift the tofu package up and remove. The whole piece of silken tofu should now be on the plate.
How to Eat Chinese Silken Tofu
Chinese Silken Tofu is very fragile and delicate; therefore, I do not recommend eating it or trying to break off a piece with chopsticks. Rather, you should use a spoon to scoop the Chinese Silken Tofu up with some of the dressing. It’s a wonderful cold appetizer that goes well with a heartier dish like Egg Fried Rice!
Storage
Chinese Silken Tofu can be stored up to 3 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. This dish doesn’t require reheating unless you prefer it warm. You may find that the tofu continues to shed liquid; this is normal.
I personally like Chinese Silken Tofu after it has sat in the marinade for at least a couple hours – I find that it becomes more flavorful!
If you tried this Chinese Silken Tofu or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below!
Chinese Silken Tofu
Ingredients
- 1 package of silken soft tofu, package size is 14oz
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp chili oil
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tbsp ginger, grated
- 2 cloves garlic, grated
- 2 scallions, chopped
- 1/2 tbsp sesame seeds
Instructions
- Remove the tofu from the package and cut horizontally into 1/2" slabs.
- In a bowl, mix together soy sauce, chili oil, sesame oil, rice vinegar, sugar, garlic, ginger, scallions, and sesame seeds.
- Transfer the tofu onto a plate and fan out the pieces at an angle. Pour the sauce over the tofu and enjoy!
Notes
-
- This type of tofu has the most water content and will be the softest of the varieties you’ll find in your grocery store.
-
- It’s silky and very pliable due to this high water content, similar to the consistency of a soft cheese.
-
- After draining, remove paper towels and place a plate on top of the tofu package. Flip the tofu package and plate so the tofu package is now upside down ON the plate.
-
- If needed, you can cut small openings in the corners of the package – this helps air get into the tofu package and makes it easier to remove the tofu.
-
- Gently lift the tofu package up and remove. The whole piece of silken tofu should now be on the plate.
Storage
Chinese Silken Tofu can be stored up to 3 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. This dish doesn’t require reheating unless you prefer it warm. You may find that the tofu continues to shed liquid; this is normal.Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Never had this but excited to try!