There's nothing better than the texture of crispy pan fried tofu! The secret to that crunch is one simple ingredient!
Course Main Course
Cuisine Japanese
Keyword Tofu
Prep Time 10 minutesminutes
Cook Time 10 minutesminutes
Servings 4servings
Ingredients
2x 12 oz packages firm or extra firm tofu cut into 1” cubeswe use organic Tofu
3tbspcornstarchwe use gluten free
2-3tbspgrapeseed oil
Marinade
2tbsptamaritamari is gluten free
2tspLee Kim Kee Sriracha Chilli sauceOptional if you like it spicy
1tbsptoasted sesame oil
1tsphoisinOptional if you like sweetness
1tspgarlic powder
1tsponion powder
Ground black pepper to taste
Garnish
Green onionfinely chopped
Sesame seeds
Instructions
In a large bowl, mix together first 7 ingredients to combine. Cube the tofu and add to the bowl. Gently toss the tofu into the marinade using a silicone spatula. Set aside.
In the meanwhile, preheat large ceramic non-stick skillet on medium heat. Add half of the grapeseed oil. It should be hot enough to make tofu sizzle right away.
Sprinkle the tofu cubes with cornstarch mixture and gently stir to coat. The marinade should soak in so don’t be worried if the cornstarch mixture is wet and sticky.
In a large teflon skillet add the tofu in a single layer. If you don’t have a large enough pan, cook it in two batches.If pieces stick together, you can gently separate them if you wish.
Cook on first side until browned, about 2-3 minutes. Flip each cube with teflon tongs, or a spatula, and pan fry for a few more minutes or until crispy. Halfway through cooking, as you rotate the cubes to crisp each side you can add the reserved marinade that collected at the bottom of the bowl (if you are cooking in two batches, split the marinade in two). Transfer to a plate and garnish with green onion and sesame seeds.
Notes
The first few times we made this, we used firm tofu and it cooked perfectly. The last time we used firm tofu, it fell apart but it was close to its expiry date. Next time we'll try extra firm tofu for this recipe to see if it makes a difference.