Crispy Salt and Pepper Tofu

SERVES2-4

INGREDIENTS

500g silken tofu ½ cup cornflour

1 tsp ground white pepper

1 tsp salt 1 tsp garlic salt

Rice bran oil, for frying

GARNISH

1 tsp sesame oil 1 tsp rice bran oil

2 long red chillies, sliced 1 bird’s eye chilli, sliced (optional, if you like an extra chilli hit)

3 large cloves garlic, chopped

2 spring onions, sliced

TO SERVE

Szechuan pepper

Steamed rice

Soy sauce

METHOD

1

To get the best result, first press the excess water out of the tofu. Remove tofu from packet and drain, then put onto a plate. Cover with another plate, then place a weight on top and leave to sit for 20 minutes. You can use anything as a weight – a heavy bowl 2 is useful.

While the tofu is being pressed, prepare the garnish. In a small frying pan, heat the sesame seed oil and rice bran oil. Add the chopped chillies, garlic and spring onions. Stir for about 5 minutes on medium heat until onions have softened and garlic has

3 turned golden. Set aside.

To prepare the tofu coating, combine cornflour, white pepper, salt and garlic salt in a medium snap-lock bag and give

4 it a good shake to mix the ingredients. Remove the weight and plate from tofu and drain. Cut drained tofu into

5 bite-size triangles.

In a large frying pan on medium-high heat, add rice bran oil to a depth of

6

1½-2cm and heat.

Drop tofu pieces gently into the bag a few at a time, coating all sides. Drop into the hot oil. Repeat with remaining tofu. Fry until 7 crispy and pale golden in colour on all sides. To finish, sprinkle with the prepared garnish and a generous pinch of Szechuan pepper. Serve straight away with steamed rice, and soy sauce on the side.