Firm tofu simmers in a creamy coconut sauce with fresh turmeric, bird’s-eye chilies and lime leaves. Rice and cool cucumber make a refreshing contrast.
Masak lemak cili api is associated with Negeri Sembilan in Malaysia. Coconut milk gives the sauce its creamy base; cili api, small hot chilies, bring its signature heat. The exact ingredients vary from cook to cook and household to household. This version puts firm tofu at the center, making it a tofu variation rather than a claim about one definitive version of the dish. Fresh turmeric gives the sauce a warm yellow color and an earthy, slightly peppery flavor. Lime leaves add a fresh aroma that makes the coconut taste less heavy.
Here, the chilies and turmeric are ground with shallot into a paste and briefly fried in oil. Frying takes the raw edge off the paste and brings out the spices’ aroma before the coconut milk is added. A small food processor works well for this; a mortar and pestle will also do. Start with four chilies if you prefer to keep the heat moderate. Use more for a distinctly spicy sauce. Bird’s-eye chilies are hot, so don’t taste the raw paste directly, and wash your hands after cutting them.
Cut the tofu into firm cubes and drain it before you begin. Extra-firm tofu holds its shape while simmering; regular firm tofu also works, but handle the cubes gently. Add the tofu only after the paste has been fried. Then let everything simmer gently: boiling hard can make the coconut milk split and makes it harder to keep the cubes intact. It’s better to stir the pan gently than to push a spoon firmly through the tofu. The sauce should stay smooth and creamy, not thick like a paste.
Fresh turmeric has a brighter flavor than ground turmeric. If fresh root isn’t available, you can substitute about one teaspoon of ground turmeric; the color will remain, but the flavor will be a little less vibrant. Lime leaves can be found at Asian grocery stores and are used here as an aromatic seasoning. Leave them out if you can’t find them rather than using a lot of lime juice instead: that will make the sauce sour and change its character. Season the coconut sauce with salt and taste again only at the end.
Serve the sauce with steamed white rice, which soaks up the coconut and chili nicely, and thinly sliced raw cucumber for cooling freshness and crunch. Serve the cucumber on the side so it stays crisp. You can get the rice cooking while the sauce simmers gently. Allow a generous portion of sauce per plate; it’s what brings the rice grains and neutral tofu together into a cohesive dish.
Rinse the rice until the water is mostly clear. Cook the rice according to the package instructions and keep warm.
Drain the tofu and pat dry. Cut into cubes about 3 cm across. Grind the shallot, turmeric and chilies with a small splash of water into a coarse paste.
Heat the oil in a wide pan over medium heat. Fry the paste for 3–4 minutes, stirring regularly, until fragrant and no longer raw-smelling.
Pour in the coconut milk and water. Add the bruised lime leaves and salt. Bring gently to a simmer and scrape the bottom of the pan.
Place the tofu in the sauce. Simmer gently for 8–10 minutes without boiling hard; carefully turn the cubes halfway through. Taste and add more salt if needed.
Cut the cucumber into thin slices. Spoon the rice and tofu with sauce onto plates and serve with the cucumber on the side.
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