Get a Taste of Max's Tofu Sisig With This Homemade Imitation 

Max's Restaurant is one of the renowned Filipino-founded restaurant in the Philippines. It's known for it's fried chicken which lent it's tagline: "the house that fried chicken built". But other than their fried chicken, one of the fan-favorite dishes is their crispy tofu sisig. While the restaurant opened branches internationally, you can have a taste of their tofu sisig by making your own at the comfort of your own home. 

Tofu sisig is a great option for lessening meat intake. Tofu is a great and cheaper alternative to meat and yields almost as much. The sisig has the same kick (or even better!) as a regular pork sisig. What really makes it so sisig-like is the use of calamansi, onions, and chili: the quintessential ingredients in making a sisig. There's no egg in this recipe, which is another important ingredient of sisig. Eggs don't work with the tofu but chicharon is there to have a meaty flavor. One of the alternatives to chicharon is using Chicharon ni Mang Juan, a Filipino snack that mimics the chicharon flavor in junk food format. It's made out of dehydrated green peas which technically makes it a vegetarian-like option. 

Ingredients: 

• 1 block tofu
• 2/3 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp Knorr seasoning
• 2 tbsp oyster sauce
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tsp paprika
• 2 tbsp calamansi/lemon juice
• Pepper to taste
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 red onion, chopped
• 1 green pepper, chopped
• 1 cup chicharon, crushed
• Oil for cooking

Steps:

1. Dry tofu with paper towels for 30 minutes. Cut into cubes.
2. In a wok, heat oil for deep frying over medium heat.
3. Deep fry tofu cubes in batches. Fry until golden brown and set aside. Drain oil and save a few tablespoons for frying.
4. In a bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, soy sauce, Knorr seasoning, oyster sauce, brown sugar and paprika. Combine thoroughly.
5. Add calamansi or lemon juice and pepper to taste. Stir until combined. Set aside.
6. In the same wok with the remaining oil, saute garlic, green pepper, and half the chopped onion until fragrant.
7. Add the sauce mixture and stir lightly. Quickly add the fried tofu cubes and mix until tofu is coated all over.
8. Add the remaining onion and mix well.
9. Plate with chicharon sprinkled on top. Serve hot.

A similar recipe can be found in Kawaling Pinoy. Ingredients can be sourced from My Tindahan. Photo from Kawaling Pinoy.