Crispy Salt and Pepper Tofu
EASY 30 MINUTES
• 18 oz firm tofu
• ½ cup cornstarch
• 1 tsp ground white pepper
• ½ tsp salt
• 2 red chili pepper (remove seeds and slice thinly)
• 1 tbsp green onions
Mix the following ingredients well in a bowl:
• 1 tbsp minced garlic
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp vinegar
• 1 tbsp chili paste
1 Place the tofu block onto a cutting board. Place a second cutting board over tofu. Place a heavy object on top of the cutting board, such as a heavy can. Apply the weight on the tofu for 20 minutes to release water from the tofu.
2 Slice tofu into 1 inch cubes. Pat dry tofu cubes with a paper towel.
3 Combine cornstarch, white pepper and salt in a small bowl. Add to a large ziploc bag. Add in tofu and seal the bag. Shake the bag several times until tofu is evenly coated in starch.
4 Add enough oil in a frying pan, bring to medium heat. When oil is hot, add a few pieces of tofu and fry until crispy on all sides. Tofu pieces will turn a pale yellow gold color.
5 Repeat with remaining tofu until all tofu is fried. (Tips: Keep tofu waiting to be fried in the cornstarch bag. If you lay down the tofu cubes to rest while waiting, they will release more water and will soak through the cornstarch coating and cause it to fall off).
6 When tofu is fried, garnish with chili peppers, green onions and ground black pepper.