Umami Cold Silken Tofu - No Chopping Nor Cooking! (涼拌豆腐)

What do I want when I'm hangry? Something definitely quick, preferably Asian, and ideally protein-forward. And this silken tofu recipe always delivers! It is easy to make, quick to put together, and SO delicious! It is perfect as a side dish on a hot day, or it can also be eaten hot as a main dish.

Silken Tofu in Chinese

Silken tofu, known as Nèn Dòu Fǔ (嫩豆腐) or Juān Dòu Fǔ (絹豆腐) in Chinese, refers to tofu with a delicate, silky texture.

You might also hear it being referred to as Nèi Zhǐ Dòu Fǔ (內酯豆腐) in Mainland China (much less so in Taiwan). Nèi Zhǐ refers to the Glucono Delta Lactone (葡萄糖酸內酯), or the coagulant in these types of tofu, which makes them have high water content and taste soft and silky.

Ingredients Notes And Substitutions

Here is a quick overview of what you'll need! Find the printable recipe with measurements below.

• Silken Tofu: For that signature silky texture, make sure the protein content is about 5-6 g per serving. I have found this to be a much better gauge than judging the package by "silken tofu" or "soft tofu", which sometimes is not soft enough for this dish.
  • After being "tricked" many times, my current understanding is that all silken tofus are soft tofus, but not all soft tofus are silken tofus.
  • Avoid firmer tofu like extra firm—it's too dry to pair well with the sauce.
• Soy Sauce:  I love using Japanese soy sauces for cold dishes because they tend to have a sweeter soy bean aroma and taste. 
  • Substitution: Chinese light soy sauce would work just as well!
• Lao Gan Ma Spicy Chili Crisp: Lao Gan Ma has a few different sauces, but this one has worked the best! It's a crispy chili oil that is not super spicy.
  • Substitution: If you can't find Spicy Chili Crisp, try to look for Chili Oil with Fermented Soy Beans (even though Spicy Chili Crisp also contains fermented soy beans).
• Vegetarian Barbecue Sauce: The vegan version will have a green cap!
  • It’s unclear whether the design of the cap contributes to leakage, but to prevent an oily mess, I recommend storing the can in a dish lined with tissue paper.
• Rice Vinegar: The tanginess from the vinegar not only rounds out the saltiness, but also cuts through the grease from the spicy chili crisp and the vegetarian barbecue sauce.
• Crispy Fried Onion & Garlic: They add aroma, texture, and, most importantly, crunch to the dish.
  • Make sure to sprinkle them on just before serving, or else they will get stale.
• Microgreens: I love using microgreens because you can use them right out of the package, they have a mild flavor but are nutrient-dense, and they enhance the dish's visual appeal!
  • Substitution: You can use green onions or spring onions if that is what you have on hand.

Lao Gan Ma Spicy Chili Crisp

There are so many brands of crispy chili condiments, but I always just go with Lao Gan Ma because it's great, consistent, and affordable. (I am not a fan of MSG—but I am not a purist either.)

Bull Head Vegetarian Barbecue Sauce

Compared to the Lao Gan Ma sauces, the Bull Head Chinese barbecue sauce might be lesser-known in the United States, but it is a staple pantry item among Taiwanese households (used most notably as a hot pot dipping sauce, interestingly). 

• The English term "barbecue sauce" doesn't really capture what this sauce is. In Mandarin Chinese, it is called Sha Cha Jiang (沙茶醬), or Sha Cha sauce, instead of Kao Rou Jiang (烤肉醬), or barbecue sauce.
• It is a Taiwanese-Teochew variation of the peanut or peanut butter-based Indonesian satay sauce. The "tay" in satay sounds like tea in the Teochew dialect, or cha in Mandarin Chinese. Therefore, it's called the sha cha sauce, even though it has nothing to do with tea.
• The Teochew cuisine is known for the usage of seafood, and the founder of the Bull Head brand was a Teochew immigrant from Southern China who later settled in Taiwan.
• The original (non-vegan) barbecue sauce is seafood-based and does not contain peanuts.
• Similar to Sriracha in the hot sauce category, the Bull Head barbecue sauce has been dominating the sha cha category ever since its inception in the late 1950s (and the taste has been the exact same since I can remember). 

How To Make This Recipe: A Visual Guide

Here is a quick visual rundown! Find the full instructions with ingredients below.

Step 1: Prepare the sauce in a separate bowl, mix well, then pour the sauce on the tofu.

Step 2: Sprinkle fried onions.

Step 3: Sprinkle fried garlic.

Step 4: Finally, top off with microgreens.