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You are here: Home / Asian Tofu / Salt and Pepper Tofu Recipe

Salt and Pepper Tofu Recipe

June 28, 2012 By Andrea Nguyen 10 Comments

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Asian-tofu-salt-and-pepper-tofu

On the heels of posting the tofu frying tips, maybe you’d like to try your hand at frying some? This is a recipe that I developed for Asian Tofu but couldn’t squeeze it in. I was attracted to this dish because one of my pet peeves about salt and pepper shrimp (and squid too!) is that rarely are the seasonings absorbed well. HOWEVER, the opposite is true when the same seasonings are applied to just-fried tofu, which take on the heat of the white pepper and chiles well during the fast and last round of stir-frying. Every bite of chewy-crisp tofu is flavorful, even more so when you add some of the chile, scallion, and garlic bits when you eat. Showing off the beauty of cooking with tofu, this vegan dish will please omnivores.

I typically use uniodized table salt for most of my cooking but here, delicate kosher works better for the final stir-frying. If you don’t have Kosher salt, substitute 1 1/2 teaspoons and 1/2 teaspoon of table salt for the soaking and final stir-frying, respectively.

If you have Asian Tofu, bookmark this recipe and add it to the collection. If you don’t have the book, I hope this salt and pepper tofu whets your appetite for more.

RECIPE

Salt and Pepper Tofu

Yield: Serves 2 as a main dish, 4 as part of a multidish meal

Ingredients

  • 14 to 16-ounces firm tofu
  • 2 1/4 teaspoons plus 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 3 cups very hot or just-boiled water
  • Canola oil
  • 1 teaspoon ground white pepper
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 3 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 2 or 3 Thai or Serrano chiles, thinly sliced
  • 2 large scallions, white and green parts, cut into 1/4-inch pieces

Instructions

  1. Cut the tofu into chunky dominos, each about 1 inch wide and high and 2 inches long. Put the tofu pieces in a shallow bowl. Dissolve the 2 1/4 teaspoons of salt in the water, then pour over the tofu. The tofu should be just covered. Set aside for 15 minutes.
  2. Transfer the tofu pieces to a non-terry dishtowel or double layer of paper towel placed atop a plate. Let drain for about 15 minutes.
  3. Pour 1 1/2 inches of oil in a wok, deep skillet, or saucepan. Heat the oil over high heat to between 360 and 370°F. Blot excess from the tofu one last time, then fry the tofu in batches of 5 to 6 pieces, sliding them into the oil, then gently stirring them with chopsticks or a skimmer to prevent them from sticking. If they stick, let them fry to when they’re light golden before nudging them apart; if that’s hard to do, remove the tofu from the oil, separate the pieces then quickly replace them in the oil to finish frying. They should be crisp and golden after about 2 minutes. Drain the tofu on paper towel. Return the oil to temperature before frying another batch.
  4. As the tofu fries, mix together the pepper, sugar, and remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt in a small bowl. Set these ground seasonings near the stove, along with the garlic, chiles, and scallion.
  5. When all of the tofu pieces have been deep fried, let them drain for a couple minutes. Meanwhile, pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the oil from the wok. Reheat the pan over high heat. Then add the garlic, chile, and scallion. Cook for about 15 seconds, stirring, until fragrant. 
  6. Add the tofu, then sprinkle in the ground seasonings. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly, to allow the tofu to absorb the flavors. Transfer the tofu, along with all the bits in the pan, to a plate. Serve immediately with rice.

Related posts:

  • Tofu Frying Tips
  • Smart Ways to Stir-Fry Tofu
  • How to decipher Tofu Textures (video)  
  • Tofu, Kimchi and Bacon Taco Recipe
  • Chinese Fermented Black Bean Magic (plus recipes)
  • Fried Tofu and Egg Pancake Recipe (Tahu Telur)

 

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Filed Under: Asian Tofu, Recipes: All, Recipes: Chinese, Recipes: Gluten-Free, Recipes: Main Course, Recipes: Stir-Fry, Recipes: Vegan, Recipes: Vegetarian Tagged With: Asian Tofu cookbook, Asian tofu recipes, Chinese tofu dishes, gluten-free tofu recipes, vegan tofu recipes, vegetarian tofu recipes

« Masala-Stuffed Indian Eggplant Recipe
West Coast Cooking Classes: Jul–Nov 2012 »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Biki

    June 29, 2012 at 7:48 am

    Thank you! Four months ago on a whim, I ordered this at a Chinese restaurant as an appetizer, and ended up taking most of my main course home. I eat at this restaurant frequently, but now i only eat the salt and pepper tofu, I’m seriously hooked! And now I can make this in my very own kitchen!! Mega thanks.

    Reply
  2. Andrea Nguyen

    June 29, 2012 at 9:20 am

    Biki — I must have read your mind! Happy cooking.

    Reply
  3. Elizabeth @Mango_Queen

    June 29, 2012 at 9:25 am

    Oh I love tofu cooked this way, so simple yet so enjoyable! Thanks for sharing this delish tofu recipe.

    Reply
  4. Lily

    June 29, 2012 at 8:45 pm

    Thanks Andrea! I tried making this exact dish awhile ago but I did not brine the tofu beforehand. Brilliant idea! Yet another reason for me to get a copy of Asian Tofu to complete my collection of A.N. cookbooks.

    Reply
  5. Corrie

    June 29, 2012 at 10:45 pm

    I love tofu but my family is a bit dubious about it. So I will make this while I do a salt and pepper squid for them. 🙂

    Reply
  6. Andrea Nguyen

    June 30, 2012 at 4:29 pm

    My pleasure!

    Reply
  7. Andrea Nguyen

    June 30, 2012 at 4:31 pm

    Hi Lily, That brining bit makes the tofu just a tad bit more flavorful. Use a medium-firm tofu and the flavor will get absorbed just a tad more because the curds are not as firmly pressed together as for firm. However, frying medium-firm tofu can be a bit of a hassle with sputtering and the like.

    Reply
  8. Andrea Nguyen

    June 30, 2012 at 4:33 pm

    A side-by-side taste off of salt and pepper dishes sounds pretty good to me! Cook tofu with some meat like mapo tofu and your family may be converted.

    Reply
  9. Suganya

    July 3, 2012 at 5:32 pm

    Made the south east asian flavored pressed tofu from your Asian Tofu book, so good. My husband loved the leftover marinate from boiling the tofu. He thinks it would make a good base for noodle soup. Thanks.

    Reply
  10. Biki

    July 25, 2012 at 2:37 am

    Hi! I made this the other night, and was in heaven! It was all I could have asked for. So, so, so good. Thank you. This is going to be a common occurrence on my dinner plate. Wow! I cant get over how delicious it is. I was so full but didnt want to stop eating it! lol silly me. mega thanks!

    Reply

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