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    Home » Recipes » Main Course

    Published: Apr 14, 2020 · Updated: Aug 1, 2024 · This post may contain affiliate links · We donate 10% of our profits to support good causes.

    Burmese Tofu with Garlic, Ginger & Chilli Sauce

    Jump to Recipe 19 Comments Share Pin Save Saved!

    This burmese tofu recipe will show you how easy it is to make your own chickpea tofu. And how to cook it into a fresh and delicious meal with a flavourful garlic, ginger and chilli sauce.

    A plate of golden yellow slices of chickpea tofu, topped with a garlicky, gingery sauce

    What is Burmese tofu? 

    Burmese tofu is not made from soy like the tofu most of us are familiar with. It is made out of gram flour, which is a blend of ground chickpeas and split yellow peas. It’s cooked with water, a bit of salt and turmeric until very thick and paste-like, and then left to set. 

    Since we started making this tofu at home, it’s become a huge hit and we make it often. Here’s why we love it:

    • It’s versatile and can be used in many dishes
    • It’s cheap to make
    • It’s quick with just 15 minutes of effort needed
    • And it’s so simple - no fancy equipment required! 
    A bowl of chickpea flour, spoonfuls of salt and turmeric, a jug of water and a whisk.

    Unlike soy tofu, this chickpea flour tofu can be made with just one pan, a whisk and a container to pour it in to. There’s no blending, no straining, no pressing, and no waste!

    It’s not coagulated like tofu made from soybeans, so it’s even simpler to make. And if you’re cooking for someone with an allergy to soy, it’s a great alternative to use in traditional tofu dishes. 

    Gram flour is also known as garbanzo bean flour, besan, or chickpea flour. It's made from ground chickpeas and split peas,, and commonly found it Indian and Asian cuisine. It's great for both vegan and gluten free cooking, as an alternative to eggs, or used in place of flour. We love to use it our Vegan Egg Fried Rice. To buy it look in the world food aisle at the supermarket, or try your local Indian or Asian foods shop.

    Slices of yellow tofu on a wooden board in front of a bag of gram flour

    Burmese cuisine

    This type of tofu is a culinary staple of the Shan people. The Shan State in eastern Myanmar is bordered by China, Laos and Thailand and is sunny and temperate. So it’s the perfect area for growing many crops such as rice, tea, and mangoes. We’d love to go one day, but until then we will travel via our taste buds instead! 

    One fun thing about food in Myanmar is that it’s one of the few countries where tea leaves are actually eaten and not just drunk. A pickled tea leaf salad, laphet thoke, is their national delicacy. Another one of the most popular Burmese dishes is tohu nway, where this shan tofu is served still soft and warm. 

    How to make chickpea tofu

    A step by step collage of how to make chickpea tofu, showing the six stages of the chickpea flour mixture being mixed, thickened and setting.

    Step 1 - In a medium saucepan, whisk together the gram flour, salt and turmeric.

    Step 2 - Add around 1 third of the water and whisk until you have a thick, lump free paste

    Step 3 - Add the remaining water and whisk again until smooth

    Step 4 - Heat the pan on medium heat and whisk often. At first it may be very foamy, but this will decrease as the mixture thickens. 

    Step 5 - At around 10 minutes the mixture should start to really thicken up. Whisk very well until you have a very smooth, thick mixture that clings to the whisk and holds it's shape.

    Step 6 - Using a spatula, scrape out the mixture into a container, flatten off the top and leave to set.

    Pouring out the very thick, yellow mixture into a red, square silicone cake pan.

    Tips for getting the texture right

    The first time I tried making this kind of tofu, it was a gooey mess. I didn’t cook it for long enough. The timing of when it reaches the optimum thickness can depend on how hot you cook it, and the power of your hob.

    Here’s how to know when it has reached the right point to stop cooking:

    • Whisking should become harder and more effort
    • Instead of flowing in ribbons and easily running off the whisk the mixture should cling to the whisk
    • When you stir, the trail made by the whisk should hold shape, not level off
    • When pouring out the mixture, it should be so thick that you will need to use a spatula to scrape it out of the pan and level it off in the container. 
    A bowl of cubed chickpea flour tofu, with two larger tofu blocks in front

    Frying

    The chickpea tofu can be eaten when it is set, without the need to cook it further. But frying it gives it a crispy crust and extra flavour. Traditionally it is often deep fried, but we like to shallow fry it to reduce the oil needed. 

    Our top tips for frying are:

    • Use a really good non stick or seasoned pan
    • Heat up the oil well before adding the tofu
    • Don’t try and move the pieces around too much before they have formed a good crust. Trying to move or turn them too soon can result in the crispy layer separating from the piece. 

    Making the sauce

    This zingy and gently spicy sauce will make a party in your mouth. It’s our favourite thing to drizzle over our homemade burmese tofu, and is inspired by Shan cuisine.

    The sauce is very simple to make, just add all the ingredients together, give it a good stir, and let the flavours develop before serving. 

    Next chop and toast some peanuts in a pan, until light gold brown.

    Taking a spoonful of the colourful sauce filled with green spring onion, garlic, ginger and red chilli flakes.
    Toasting chopped peanuts in a pan, they are just starting to go golden brown

    Serving

    Serve the slices of fried tofu with a fresh green salad, and plenty of the yummy sauce on top!

    You can also simply slice your burmese tofu and use it in salads, or serve with noodles. It’s also fantastic coated in batter and breadcrumbs, just follow the process in our Vegan Schnitzel recipe.

    Drizzling sauce over squares of slices burmese tofu on a green plate

    We hope you enjoy our easy chickpea tofu recipe! You might also like these other vegan recipes too.

    Teriyaki Mushrooms (sticky, salty, sweet and simple to make)

    And our Sticky Lemon Tofu (my favourite Chinese 'takeout' dish!)

    Sophie & Paul

    📖 Recipe

    Squares of yellow chickbea tofu drizzed in a sauce and garnished with peanuts and chives

    Burmese Tofu with Garlic, Ginger & Chilli Sauce

    by Sophie & Paul
    5 from 12 votes
    Make your own easy chickpea tofu and enjoy it combined with the fresh flavours of salty and sweet sauce with ginger and garlic and topped with toasted peanuts.
    Print Pin Save Saved!
    Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Setting Time: 1 hour hour
    Total Time: 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes
    Makes: 4 servings
    Course: Appetizer, Main Course
    Cuisine: Southeast Asian

    Ingredients
     

    Tofu

    • 1 cup (120 g) gram flour (also known as besan or chickpea flour)
    • 1 pinch turmeric
    • ½ tsp salt
    • 3 cups (720 ml) water

    Sauce

    • 6 cloves garlic minced
    • 2 spring onions finely chopped
    • 4 tsp ginger grated
    • ¼ cup (60 ml) soy sauce
    • 1 ½ tbsp rice vinegar
    • 1 ½ tbsp brown sugar
    • 2 tbsp oil
    • ½ tsp chilli flakes

    Topping

    • 4 tbsp peanuts chopped

    Instructions
     

    To make the tofu

    • In a medium saucepan, mix the gram flour, salt and turmeric.
      1 cup (120 g) gram flour, 1 pinch turmeric, ½ tsp salt
    • Add about a third of the water (1 cup) and whisk together until the batter is smooth with no lumps.
    • Stir in the remaining water (2 cups) and whisk until smooth again.
    • Heat the pan on medium heat, and whisk often. At first it may be very foamy, but this will decrease as the mixture thickens.
    • Cook for around 10 minutes, until the mixture gets thicker and thicker. It's ready to take off the heat when it's so thick that it starts to cling to the whisk and there's a permanent thin film of batter at the bottom of the pan. See notes for more tips.
    • Pour the mixture into a container (a cake pan, dish or Tupperware will work) and spread it evenly. Do this quickly, before it cools down and firms up.
    • Let the tofu set on a work surface for about an hour until firm and ready to cut.
    • Turn the container upside down onto a board, and you can slice or dice your tofu as required.

    Serving

    • For the sauce: Press the garlic, chop the spring onion, grate the ginger, and mix them with all the other sauce ingredients: soy sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, oil and chilli flakes.
      6 cloves garlic, 2 spring onions, 4 tsp ginger, ¼ cup (60 ml) soy sauce, 1 ½ tbsp rice vinegar, 1 ½ tbsp brown sugar, 2 tbsp oil, ½ tsp chilli flakes
    • Frying the tofu: In a non-stick frying pan, heat 2 tbsp of oil and fry the tofu slices on medium-high heat for about 3-5 minutes on both sides, until golden brown and crisp. After turning over, add more oil if needed.
      TIP: Make sure the pan is properly hot before you add the tofu, to reduce the risk of sticking.
    • Toasting peanuts: Coarsely chop the peanuts and briefly toast them in a frying pan on medium-high heat.
      4 tbsp peanuts
    • Serving up: Serve the burmese tofu topped with a generous drizzle of sauce and sprinkle of toasted peanuts. Have salad or stir-fried greens on the side.

    Notes

    Here’s how to know when the chickpea flour mix has reached the right point to stop cooking:
    • Whisking should become harder and more effort
    • Instead of flowing in ribbons and easily running off the whisk the mixture should cling to the whisk
    • When you stir, the trail made by the whisk should hold shape, not level off
    • When pouring out the mixture, it should be so thick that you will need to use a spatula to scrape it out of the pan and level it off in the container. 
    Our top tips for frying are:
    • Use a really good non stick or seasoned pan
    • Heat up the oil well before adding the tofu
    • Don’t try and move the pieces around too much before they have formed a good crust. Trying to move or turn them too soon can result in the crispy layer separating from the piece. 
     
    This recipe makes approximately 750g of chickpea tofu or the equivalent of two shop bought blocks of tofu.
    If you don't use all your tofu immediately, it can be stored in the fridge for 3 days in a covered container. Simply drain away any extra water before using.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1serving | Calories: 273kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 1135mg | Potassium: 394mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 134IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 47mg | Iron: 2mg

    This information is calculated per serving and is an estimate only.

    Did you make this recipe?Leave a comment to let us know! Share a photo and tag @veganonboard - we love to see what you make!
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    Comments

      5 from 12 votes (6 ratings without comment)

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      Recipe Rating




    1. andrea says

      January 08, 2024 at 8:54 pm

      I've tried to make this twice now and it will not get firm enough to pan fry. I tried making it with 1 cup flour, 2.5 cups water, and I boiled it for a full 15 minutes, but when I went to fry it in the pan it just turned into a goopy, soupy mess. Wasn't really that firm in the container either. Why is this not working?????

      Reply
      • Sophie and Paul says

        January 09, 2024 at 12:49 pm

        Hi Andrea, Sorry to hear that. Are you whisking it regularly? And what texture was the mixture when you stopped cooking it? It should feel really thick, stick to the whisk and hold it's shape. The process pictures in the post should help give you an idea of what the texture should be like when it's ready to go in the container. If it wasn't thick like that, it sounds like it still needed cooking for longer. The flour to liquid ratio used in the recipe the standard ratio for making this kind of tofu, but flour absorbancy can vary depending on the brand you use and even the weather. If you let the tofu sit overnight in the fridge it will release some extra moisture, which can also help it to become firmer. Really hope these tips help you get something that works for you!

        Reply
    2. Tahira Akhtar says

      May 10, 2023 at 2:49 pm

      Hi would this work with soy flour or lentil flour to make it higher in protein? Thank you

      Reply
      • Sophie and Paul says

        May 10, 2023 at 7:58 pm

        Hi Tahira, I've not tested the recipe with types of flour other than gram or chickpea, so I'm not sure how it would work out. You may well need to adjust the water quantities and cook time, but if you give it a go let us know! Happy experimenting. Sophie 🙂

        Reply
    3. Hilary says

      July 06, 2022 at 9:45 pm

      5 stars
      This Burmese tofu recipe is great. I’ve made this lots of times. Tonight I baked it after marinating with tamari and pepper and sprinkling with nutritional yeast, and served it with your sticky lemon sauce on rice. Very tasty.

      Reply
    4. Kim A. says

      March 10, 2022 at 3:26 am

      5 stars
      Great recipe! Have made twice for vegetarian friends and both times have been asked for the recipe. I put the Burmese tofu on top of a Burmese coleslaw of finely sliced cabbage, coriander and mint leaves mixed with a dressing of lime, tamarind juice, soy sauce, oil, and brown sugar. Thank you!

      Reply
      • Sophie and Paul says

        March 11, 2022 at 2:17 pm

        Thanks so much Kim. You always know it's a good one when friends ask for the recipe! That slaw sounds like a perfect accompaniment.

        Reply
    5. Jesse-Gabriel says

      August 15, 2021 at 4:32 pm

      5 stars
      So lecker, vielen dank für das tolle Rezept!
      Grüße sendet,
      Jesse-Gabriel aus Berlin

      Reply
    6. oldmanmtn says

      March 31, 2021 at 3:41 am

      5 stars
      This a great idea. Thanks for posting.

      I love Burmese cuisine and I have been there twice, but not to Shan region. I'm not big on tofu, maybe once a month. But this could change things. I haven't tried this yet, but it seems it might be more like a chickpea "polenta" rather than tofu... all good just the same and I'll find out for sure soon enough. Again, thanks.

      Reply
      • Sophie and Paul says

        April 06, 2021 at 11:15 am

        Thanks! We really like it. It quite different from soy based tofu, and as you say a bit like a making polenta. If you ever had Panisse from the South of France it's quite similar! Enjoy 🙂

        Reply
    7. Elizabeth says

      January 21, 2021 at 10:15 pm

      5 stars
      Hi. I just finished making Burmese tofu (I used only chick peas and ground them myself in a coffee grinder) and decided to make your chili-ginger topping. It was so good! I'll be using it as a higher protein snack between meals. Thanks very much!

      Reply
      • Sophie and Paul says

        January 24, 2021 at 12:27 pm

        Thank you Elizabeth! 🙂 and thumbs up for making your own chickpea flour! We think the chili ginger sauce brings so much flavour to the Burmese tofu. It's definitely intended to be eaten with some sort of sauce or other flavourful toppings. And we agree, its a great snack, hot or cold! Take care, Sophie & Paul

        Reply
    8. Kp says

      November 16, 2020 at 6:34 am

      You mentioned split pea flour-lush chick pea flour but don’t see split pea in recipe . Did you use both? Thanks for the note of until when to cook. I messed up in the past undercooking it.

      Reply
      • Sophie and Paul says

        November 16, 2020 at 2:12 pm

        Hey Kp, gram flour from the shops is often a mix of chickpea and split pea flour, but a lot of people call it just chickpea flour. We've successfully made Burmese Tofu just with only chickpea flour 🙂 Hope this helps!

        Reply
    9. marianne says

      May 08, 2020 at 2:40 pm

      want to try this, but I'm only one person. have you tried freezing any? TIA

      Reply
      • Sophie and Paul says

        May 08, 2020 at 3:38 pm

        Hey Marianne, We've not tried freezing it. I'll give it a go next time I make it and will update the post. I did a quick bit of research and several others have had success freezing it, but say it does change the texture. It will keep in the fridge in a container for 3-4 days, just drain any excess water and pat dry before using. You could try cutting the recipe down in half, in that case the mixture will probably thicken up quicker, so keep an eye on it and check out our tips for getting the texture right. Cheers, Sophie

        Reply
        • marianne charbonneau says

          May 08, 2020 at 9:26 pm

          thx so much for the quick reply & tips! I'll try halving the recipe & if I have a piece left, I'll freeze it for an experiment.

          Reply
    10. Suzy says

      May 04, 2020 at 11:18 pm

      5 stars
      This was so good and so easy! My chin dropped when it fell right out of the glass pan I let it cool in! I cut the recipe in half for the 2 of us and the amount was perfect. I sauteed some asparagus as the side. The tofu itself was (as tofu is) a tad bland, but the sauce zipped it up nicely. I'd love to have other recipes that uses this tofu! Thank you for a great dinner!

      Reply
      • Sophie and Paul says

        May 05, 2020 at 1:07 pm

        Thanks Suzy,
        So glad it worked well and you liked it 🙂 Yes, it's all about the flavours you have it with. But try upping the salt a bit to your taste in the tofu, or add other spices than turmeric as well!
        We've also had it seasoned and coated in crushed sunflower seeds, herbs and nutritional yeast, and baked in the oven for a nice herby crust. We don't have any quantities for that, as it was a quick improv, but worth a try 🙂 works well with green salad.
        Cheers, Paul

        Reply

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