Spicy Korean Tofu

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My first time trying Korean food was with my good friend Ray. One of the restaurants that we would often visit was Huapei. A little hole in the wall restaurant located near Mt. Cedar and Mt. Hope in Lansing, MI. My favorite dish was their Huapei Chicken. The flavor was a mix of sweet and spicy. It was unique and I had never had anything close to it at any other restaurants. I no longer live in Michigan and I’m now a vegetarian. I still speak with my friend Ray occasional and we reminisce about the time we spent together and all the delicious food we had. After one of our conversations, I wanted to try to recreate the Huapei Chicken but make it vegetarian.

I present to you my vegetarian version on Huapei Chicken it has a spicy, sweet, and garlic taste to it. It’s delicious and every time I have this dish it takes me back to good times, good friends, and good food. If you stay in Lansing, MI or plan on visiting and you’re not a vegetarian. I highly recommend checking out Huapei and for the real deal. If you’re like me a vegetarian and miles away for Michigan give this vegetarian alternative a try.

Spicy Korean Tofu 

Ingredients

For Tofu

• Extra Firm Tofu
• Salt & Pepper
• 1/2 Cup of Corn Starch
• Oil for frying

Sauce

• 2 TBSP Soy Sauce
• 1/2 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
• 1 Clove Garlic (minced)
• 2 TBSP Maple Syrup (you can also use honey)
• 1 TBSP Gochujang Paste

Instructions for Sauce 

1. In a small bowl, combine the ingredients for the sauce. Set aside.

Instructions for Spicy Korean Tofu 

1. In a shallow bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and pepper. Dip each piece of tofu in the flour mixture and set aside until the oil is ready.
2. Once ready, fry the tofu for 2-3 minutes on each side, remove from pan, and let cool slightly on a paper towel to soak up excess oil. Repeat until all of the tofu is fried.
3. Once cooled slightly, toss the tofu in the sauce. Serve with a side of white rice. Enjoy!

If you like this check out my recipe for Easy Spicy Grape Tomato Pasta.

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