Today we are going to make a simple Chinese fried tofu recipe that you can quickly prepare for lunch or dinner. This tofu stir-fry recipe is served with crispy red and green peppers in a light broth flavored with garlic, dòubànjiàng (豆瓣酱) (Sichuan red broad bean paste), a little soy sauce and just a hint of sugar.
The secret to successfully stir-frying tofu is to cook it in two stages. First the tofu is deep-fried, then stir-fried with vegetables. Frying gives the tofu a firm crust, so it will not crumble when we stir-fry. Although we deep-fry the tofu in this recipe, you can also pan-fry the tofu in a little oil if you prefer.
Note that no matter which frying method you use, you will need to drain the oil before finishing the dish with a stir-fry. We need to control the oil content of finished dishes. The finished dish should not have oil pooling on the plate. So, be sure to have a large enough heat-proof container for the hot oil, and a wire strainer to let the oil drain from the tofu.
Homemade Fried Tofu
Equipment
- 1 wok
- 1 wok spatula
- 1 wire kitchen strainer
- 1 heat proof container for hot oil large enough for 2.5 to 3 cups
Ingredients
- 450 g tofu 1lb, sliced
- Cooking oil for deep frying
- 1 green pepper Anaheim
- 1 red pepper Anaheim or red bell pepper
Stir-fry
- 3 cloves garlic chopped
- 8 ml doubanjiang bean paste
- 5 ml light soy sauce
- 2 ml white sugar
- 50 ml water
- 10 g green onion 2 to 3, or 1/3 oz
- 5 ml cooking oil
Instructions
- Prepare the ingredients. Rinse the tofu, Peel and rinse the green onions, trimming away the roots and withered or dried outer layer. Rinse the peppers thoroughly. Peel and rinse the garlic.
- Fill the wok 1/3 to ½ with oil. Heat to 160° C (320° F).Cooking oil for deep frying
- Cut the tofu into 1 cm (3/8 inch) thick slices.
- Slice the green and red peppers into bite-sized chunks by cutting off the ends, slicing them in half lengthwise and then making diagonal cuts across the halves. Chop (do not mince) the garlic and green onions.
- When the oil reaches 160° C (320° F), add the tofu and fry until the surface turns golden brown, then remove from the oil.450 g tofu
- Drain the tofu in a wire strainer, and pour the hot oil into a heat-proof container of suitable size (for a 14-inch wok, this is approximately 2 ½ to 3 cups or 600 to 700 ml). Transfer the drained tofu to a plate and set aside.
- Set the wok over medium-low heat. When it is warm, add 5ml (1 tsp) of cold oil to the wok, then add the chopped garlic and sauté until fragrant. Next add the dòubànjiàng (豆瓣酱) bean paste, mixing it into the oil until well-blended, then add the tofu.3 cloves garlic, 8 ml doubanjiang bean paste, 5 ml cooking oil, 450 g tofu
- Stir-fry evenly so that the dòubànjiàng evenly coats the tofu.
- Add 50ml (3 tbsp + 1 tsp) water. Season with soy sauce and sugar and cook over medium-low heat until the broth thickens slightly, about 1 minute. Then add the green and red peppers. Stir-fry to coat evenly, then sprinkle with some chopped green onions.1 green pepper, 5 ml light soy sauce, 2 ml white sugar, 50 ml water, 10 g green onion, 1 red pepper
- Transfer to a plate and serve.
Nutrition
Other tofu recipes
We offer several tofu recipes. Most are quick and simple to cook in a home kitchen. If you would like to learn the many ways to cook tofu, then please follow My Chinese Home Kitchen.
Do you enjoy My Chinese Home Kitchen?
We enjoy sharing these authentic home recipes with you. My Chinese Home Kitchen is a labor of love.
Please tell your friends about us!
Learn more about My Chinese Home Kitchen at our About page.
Please leave a comment, or SUBSCRIBE to our newsletter.
For more of our original videos, visit My Chinese Home Kitchen on YouTube and Rumble.
