Smoked black pepper tofu

Name: Smoked black pepper tofu
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 800g firm tofu; vegetable oil for frying; cornflour to dust the tofu; 150g butter; 12 small shallots (350g in total), thinly sliced; 8 fresh red chillies (fairly mild ones), thinly sliced; 12 LBSH Smoked Garlic Cloves, crushed; 3 tbsp chopped fresh root ginger; 3 tbsp sweet soy sauce (kecap manis); 3 tbsp light soy sauce; 4 tbsp dark soy sauce; 2 tbsp caster sugar; 5 tbsp coarsely crushed LBSH Smoked Black Peppercorns; 16 small and thin spring onions, cut into 3cm segments

A recipe adapted from Plenty by Yottam Ottolenghi using our LittleBig Smokehouse Smoked Garlic and Smoked Black Peppercorns. “You will definitely surprise yourself with this one. It is an extremely delicious dish that’s quick and straightforward to make, but looks as if it’s been prepared at a top Chinese restaurant. It is fiery, both from the chillies and the smoked black pepper; you can moderate this by reducing the quantity a little. However, the whole point is spiciness so don’t go too far.”

Made with smoked spices — explore how to use smoked spices, or browse our range of smoked spice products.

Ingredients

800g firm tofu; vegetable oil for frying, cornflour to dust the tofu
150g butter
12 small shallots (350g in total) thinly sliced
8 fresh red chillies (fairly mild ones), thinly sliced
12 LBSH Smoked Garlic Cloves, crushed
3 tbsp chopped fresh root ginger
3 tbsp sweet soy sauce (kecap manis)
3 tbsp light soy sauce
4 tbsp dark soy sauce
2 tbsp caster sugar
5 tbsp coarsely crushed LBSH Smoked Black Peppercorns (use a pestle and mortar or a spice grinder)
16 small and thin spring onions, cut into 3cm segments

Directions

Start with the tofu. Pour enough oil into a large frying pan or wok to come 5mm up the sides and heat. Cut the tofu into large cubes, about 3 x 2cm. Toss them in some cornflour and shake off the excess, then add to the hot oil. (You’ll need to fry the tofu pieces in a few batches so they don’t stew in the pan.) Fry, turning them around as you go, until they are golden all over and have a thin crust. As they are cooked, transfer them onto kitchen paper.
Remove the oil and any sediment from the pan, then put the butter inside and melt it. Add the shallots, chillies, garlic and ginger. Sauté on low to medium heat for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the ingredients have turned shiny and are totally soft. Next, add the soy sauces and sugar and stir, then add the crushed LBSH Smoked black pepper.
Add the tofu to warm it up in the sauce for about a minute. Finally, stir in the spring onions. Serve hot, with steamed rice.

Why Smoked Pepper Works in This Recipe

Smoked peppercorns add an extra layer of flavour that regular black pepper simply can’t deliver. The gentle wood smoke complements the tofu while enhancing the savoury marinade. Learn more about how to cook with smoked spices in our smoked spices guide.

Featured Ingredient

This recipe highlights the bold flavour of LittleBig Smokehouse Smoked Peppercorns. Slow-smoked over hardwood, they bring warmth and a subtle smoky aroma that pairs beautifully with tofu and plant-based dishes.