Twice-Fried Salt And Pepper Tofu Recipe
Prep Time:
35
minutes
Cook Time:
15
minutes
Servings:
2
servings
Ingredients
  • 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1-inch knob fresh ginger, grated
  • 1 grated + 4 chopped cloves garlic, divided
  • 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon salt, divided
  • 1 block firm tofu, drained and cut into 1-inch cubes
  • ¼ cup cornstarch
  • ¼ cup cornmeal
  • ½ cup flour
  • 1 tablespoon ground white pepper
  • ¼ cup vegetable oil
  • 2 green chiles, such as serrano, finely chopped
  • 2 scallions, finely chopped
Directions
  1. In a saucepan, combine 1 cup water, wine, sesame oil, grated ginger, 1 grated garlic clove, and 1 tablespoon salt. Bring to a boil.
  2. Remove from the heat and add the tofu cubes. Brine for 15 minutes.
  3. Transfer tofu to a paper towel–lined tray to drain until completely dry, about 15 minutes.
  4. In a large bowl, combine cornstarch, cornmeal, flour, the remaining 1 teaspoon salt, and white pepper.
  5. Add tofu and toss to coat.
  6. Add oil to a wok and place over medium heat.
  7. Once hot, add tofu and fry until golden brown, about 3–4 minutes per side.
  8. Remove tofu from the wok and drain on a paper towel–lined plate.
  9. Add chiles, scallions, and the remaining 4 chopped garlic cloves to the wok. Saute until fragrant, about 1 minute.
  10. Return the tofu to the wok and fry with the aromatics until the garlic is golden, about 1–2 minutes. Do not burn the garlic.
  11. Remove from the wok and serve immediately.