Equipment
Ingredients
Chickpea Tofu Base
- 120 g chickpea flour, sifted
- 450 ml water, divided use
- 2 g ground turmeric
- 4 g fine sea salt
- 5 ml neutral oil
Crispy Aromatics
- 120 ml neutral oil
- 100 g shallots, very thinly sliced
- 30 g garlic, very thinly sliced
Tamarind Dressing
- 30 g tamarind concentrate
- 45 ml warm water
- 30 ml soy sauce
- 20 g palm sugar, finely chopped
- 2 makrut lime leaves, stem removed, very finely julienned
- 2 bird's eye chilies, thinly sliced
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 464 kcal
- Protein
- 9 g
- Carbohydrates
- 34 g
- Fat
- 33 g
- Fiber
- 5 g
- Sugar
- 12 g
- Sodium
- 831 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 5 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 0 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Potassium
- 512 mg
- Calcium
- 53 mg
- Iron
- 2.7 mg
- Magnesium
- 73 mg
- Phosphorus
- 145 mg
- Zinc
- 1.1 mg
- Vitamin A
- 1 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 7 mg
- Vitamin E
- 0.3 mg
- Vitamin K
- 3 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.3 mg
- Thiamin
- 0.21 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.07 mg
- Niacin
- 1.0 mg
- Folate
- 142 mcg
- Water
- 160 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Lightly brush the square baking dish with 5ml of neutral oil and set aside.
In a mixing bowl, combine the sifted chickpea flour, ground turmeric, fine sea salt, and 200ml of the water. Whisk vigorously until a completely smooth slurry forms with no dry lumps.
In the medium saucepan, bring the remaining 250ml of water to a rolling boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to low.
While whisking the boiling water continuously, pour in the chickpea flour slurry in a slow, steady stream. Keep whisking to prevent the mixture from catching on the bottom.
Cook the porridge over low heat, switching to a spatula if necessary, stirring constantly. The mixture will thicken rapidly. Continue cooking until it looks glossy, tastes cooked rather than powdery, and pulls away cleanly from the sides of the pan.
Immediately pour the hot chickpea porridge into the prepared greased dish. Smooth the top quickly with a wet spatula before it sets. Allow to cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate until completely firm.
While the tofu chills, prepare the crisp aromatics. Place 120ml of neutral oil and the sliced shallots in the small frying pan over medium-low heat. Cook slowly until the shallots turn golden brown and crispy at around 150°C/300°F. Strain through a fine mesh sieve into a heatproof bowl, retaining the shallot oil. Spread the shallots on a paper towel.
Return the reserved oil to the pan over medium heat. Add the sliced garlic and fry until pale gold at around 160°C/320°F. Strain again, keeping the infused oil. Spread the garlic on a separate paper towel. You will use 30ml of this garlic-shallot oil for the dressing.
In a clean mixing bowl, whisk together the tamarind concentrate, warm water, soy sauce, and palm sugar until the sugar is completely dissolved. Stir in the sliced chilies, julienned makrut lime leaves, and 30ml of the reserved infused oil.
Turn the set chickpea tofu out onto a cutting board. Slice into bite-sized cubes or thick strips. Gently toss the tofu with the tamarind dressing. Plate the salad and garnish generously with the crispy shallots and fried garlic.
Chef's Notes
- Besan (chickpea flour) has an inherently raw, slightly astringent flavor before it is cooked. Cooking it past the point of mere thickening until it smells nutty and looks glossy is vital to remove this raw taste.
- Makrut lime leaves carry intense aromatic oils. Removing the tough central vein before stacking and rolling the leaves tightly allows for the finest possible julienne, preventing unpleasant tough pieces in the salad.
- The reserved garlic and shallot-infused oil is a culinary goldmine. Use any remaining oil beyond the 30ml required for the dressing to toss with noodles, fry eggs, or drizzle over roasted vegetables.
- When smoothing the freshly cooked porridge into the baking dish, keep a glass of cold water nearby to dip your spatula into. The wet silicone prevents the sticky dough from adhering and helps achieve a perfectly smooth top.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store the uncut chickpea tofu and dressing separately. Assemble just before serving.
Troubleshooting
Tofu is soft, mushy, or fails to set completely
Cause: The porridge was not cooked long enough to activate the starches fully, or too much water was used
Fix: Cannot be fixed once chilled. Scrape into a pan, reheat with a splash of water, and recook until extremely thick, then chill again.
Prevention: Ensure the mixture cooks for a full 8 to 10 minutes after thickening until it becomes very stiff and pulls away from the pan
Lumps of dry flour in the finished tofu
Cause: Slurry was not mixed thoroughly or wasn't whisked quickly enough when hitting the boiling water
Fix: Cannot be fixed
Prevention: Sift the chickpea flour before hydrating and pour the slurry into the boiling water in a slow, continuous stream while whisking aggressively
Fried shallots taste bitter
Cause: Shallots were fried at too high a temperature or left in the oil too long (carryover cooking burns them)
Fix: Discard burnt shallots and start over
Prevention: Start shallots in cool or warm oil, fry slowly, and remove them when they are light golden, as they continue to darken out of the pan
Cultural Context
This recipe is deeply inspired by Tohu Thoke, a beloved staple of Shan cuisine in Myanmar. Unlike East Asian tofu which relies on coagulated soy milk, Shan tofu is crafted from a polenta-like base of water and besan or split yellow peas, making it naturally soy-free and uniquely savory. It is traditionally served highly seasoned, balancing the rich chickpea base with aggressive sour, salty, and spicy notes.
