Lemongrass Tofu Recipe (with Video)

1. Start with draining and pressing your tofu with a heavy object for at least 30 minutes. Layer a paper towel or lint-free towel between the tofu and the board to absorb the liquid. To save time, you can begin this process a couple hours in advance.
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Once the tofu is dry with no liquid remaining, slice the tofu into squares or rectangles. There should be about 12 pieces in total. In a large bowl, add the tofu, 1 tsp of mushroom seasoning, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp black pepper, 1 tbsp soy sauce, and 1.5 tbsp corn starch. Mix everything well until the tofu is fully coated. Lay the tofu on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Bake the tofu for 30 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, peel 3-4 outer layer of each the lemongrass stalk. The outer layer is quite tough so peeling the outer layers will make it easy to chop. Roughly chop the white ends of the lemongrass (about 3 inches) and discard the green ends or save it to make lemongrass tea. Peel and chop the garlic and shallot bulbs. Finally, chop the bird eye chili pepper and green onion and set aside. Add the lemongrass, garlic, and shallot to a food processor and pulse until minced. Alternatively, mince the aromatics by hand.
4. On medium heat, add the vegetable oil to a skillet. After a minute, add the lemongrass mixture and sauté for 3-4 minutes. Add the sugar, 1 tbsp soy sauce, bird eye chili pepper, and continue sautéing for 2-3 minutes. When the tofu is cooked, add the tofu to the skillet and toss to combine. Garnish with green onions and enjoy!