Tofu is usually considered a humble ingredient. True, tofu itself doesn’t have a lot of taste. But if you prepare it with a good sauce, it will become a delicious dish that is no less tasty than meat. In this recipe I introduced a well balanced Asian sauce that is savory, a little spicy, and full of aroma. It takes no time to put together. Once the tofu is marinated, I use a cornstarch coating with some cumin powder in it. Not only does it create a super crispy result, but the seasoning further brings out the flavor of the tofu. The dish can be served as an appetizer, but I would totally serve it as a main dish over steamed rice with some steamed veggies for a light and healthy dinner.
Should I press the tofu?
I believe there are a million tofu recipes require you to press tofu before cooking. It’s funny that I’d never heard of such a concept growing up in China, where we cook tofu on a weekly basis. Although my mom taught me to always braise tofu for a long time, so it will soak up the sauce and taste better. The truth is, you can press tofu before cooking it, and this makes the results marginally better. Pressing tofu can be helpful if you’re short on time and need to marinate the tofu fast. But I found that marinating for a longer time without pressing the tofu yields a better result than say, pressing the tofu and marinating it for a shorter time. So, if you can get organized and do the prep ahead of time, you can skip the pressing part and still yield a super flavorful result.
A more efficient way make marinated tofu
I’ve tried many ways to make marinated tofu – laying out the tofu pieces in a tray, or marinating the cubes in a zip lock bag. Recently, my kitchen assistant Lilja taught me this new method and I love it. It saves space, is very easy to do, and allows you to marinate the tofu very efficiently with minimal liquid. The trick is to:
find a container that is slightly larger than a block of tofu. If you don’t have one, you can actually use the plastic box that comes with the tofu. But you will need plastic wrap to seal it. Cut the tofu in half lengthwise, then into half-inch (1.2 cm) thick squares. If you’re short on time, slice the tofu into thinner pieces, 1/3” (8 mm) or so, so it gets seasoned faster. Transfer the tofu into the container by making the pieces “stand” (see the picture below). Use your hand to gently separate the tofu slices, so the marinade will seep between the tofu pieces. If the marinade cannot cover all the tofu, use some green onion (or white onion) to fill up the empty space in the container, so the marinade covers most of the tofu.
When you slice tofu this way, it’s easier to fry it and it gets very crispy. The way you arrange the pieces helps the tofu to absorb more marinade and get very flavorful.
Making crispy tofu
The process is not the quickest one, but it yields an extra crispy result.
You should use some paper towels to get rid of the excess marinade from the tofu before frying. Not only does it help the tofu coating to stay even, it also prevents the oil from splattering. Coat the tofu with the cornstarch-based coating. It will create a super crispy surface. You should do this step while heating up the oil, and fry the coated tofu as soon as possible. If you’re using a nonstick pan, you can use very little oil to fry the tofu without it sticking. But if you want a crispier result, more oil will go a long way toward this. Finally, drain the excess oil from the tofu once you’re done frying.
It does take a bit of patience and several steps to finish cooking, but you’ll be rewarded with super crispy tofu at the end.
That’s it! I hope you enjoy the recipe and that you like tofu even more after you try out this dish!
More delicious tofu recipes
Real-Deal Kung Pao Tofu Crispy Tofu with Garlic Sauce (without Deep-Frying) General Tso Tofu (Crispy Tofu without Deep Frying) Authentic Mapo Tofu Baked Crispy Tofu Nugget An Introduction to Tofu in Chinese Cooking
If you give this recipe a try, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it (once you’ve tried it), and take a picture and tag it @omnivorescookbook on Instagram! I’d love to see what you come up with. Lilja Walter is a part of the Omnivore’s Cookbook team and worked closely with Maggie to develop and test this recipe.
