Welcome to issue #013 of our Cookbook Chronicles! Each week, I share lessons and wisdom from our cookbook development, preserving my dad’s 50 years of experience as a Chinese chef.
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We can’t make a book about Cantonese cooking without including the iconic Salt & Pepper Tofu (or really Salt & Pepper anything.)
In the past, we've shared different Salt & Pepper dishes, like Salt & Pepper Pork Chops. This is a seasoning that goes so well on any dry fried dish. Other popular fried dishes that get this salt & pepper treatment are shrimp, squid, and chicken.
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
16 oz firm tofu
3 stalks green onion (white part only)
2 oz mini bell pepper (also labeled "sweet peppers")
2 clove garlic
4 cup boiling water
1 tsp salt
0.50 egg
6 tbsp cornstarch
16 oz oil (for deep-frying)
2 tbsp oil (for stir-frying; can re-use oil from deep-fry step)
Seasoning
1 tbsp garlic salt
0.25 tsp white pepper
Step 1: Cut ingredients
First, cut to separate the green and the white parts of the green onions (3 stalks). We're only using the firmer, more pungent whites for this dish. Dice the green onion whites.
Halve the bell peppers (2 oz) so that it's easy to scoop out the core and seeds. Cut into strips, and then rotate 90 degrees to dice them.
Smash, peel, and finely mince the garlic (2 clove).
Step 2: Cut tofu
Cut open the package of firm tofu (16 oz) and drain away the soaking liquid. Give the tofu a quick rinse with clean water, and then cut into cubes.
My dad cuts it in half horizontally, then from top to bottom, and then halves each section again and again to end up with 36 cubes. These pieces are on the larger side.
The smaller the cubes, the more surface area you'll get for crust. The larger the cubes, the more volume you get in each piece for soft, tender tofu. It's up to you which aspect to prioritize.
Step 3: Boil tofu
Boil hot water (4 cup) in a pot with the heat on high. Add salt (1 tsp) and stir to dissolve. This salt will help to season the tofu. When the water is boiling, add the tofu cubes. Use chopsticks to shift the tofu around so they’re all fully submerged.
Cook for 3 minutes with the lid on, and then lower the heat to low and uncover the pot. Cook for another 2 minutes.
Carefully pour the tofu into a colander to drain the water out. Let it start to cool.
Step 4: Dry & coat tofu
Line a plate with a paper towel (or for more absorbency, a clean kitchen towel). Transfer the tofu cubes onto the lined plate in an even layer. Lay another paper towel (or kitchen towel) on top and gently press to remove excess moisture.
Spread a layer of cornstarch (4 tbsp) on a separate, large plate. Transfer the tofu into a bowl and add the beaten egg. Gently mix to evenly coat the tofu.
Transfer the egg-covered tofu cubes to the cornstarch plate, making an even layer of individual cubes. Don't stack them, or it'll be hard to coat them correctly.
Sprinkle more cornstarch (1 tbsp) over the top of the tofu. Use chopsticks to flip and mix the tofu until all the pieces are evenly coated in cornstarch.
Step 5: Fry tofu
Add oil (16 oz) to a large pot and set the heat on high. As the oil heats, mix together garlic salt (1 tbsp) and white pepper (0.25 tsp) in a separate bowl. This will be added to the stir-fry at the very end.
Prepare a batch of dredged tofu in a spider strainer. If you're not used to deep-frying several items at once and are worried about them sticking together, we recommend cooking in smaller batches.
When the oil reaches 400°F (or 200°C), carefully set the tofu in the oil. At the beginning, let the tofu cook undisturbed so that the crust can set. If you move the tofu too soon, the batter will fall right off and you won't get a crust on the tofu.
When the tofu has started to set and the oil has started to recover from the temperature drop, you can add the rest of the tofu. Make sure to set them down along the sides of the pot so they don't stick to the other pieces. Gently mix the pieces around so they fry evenly.
When the tofu is golden brown, or after about 5 minutes of frying at 360°-380°F (180-190°C), turn off the heat and carefully remove the tofu. Let the excess oil drain from the tofu. My dad just keeps the tofu in the spider and sets it on a plate from earlier.
Step 6: Stir-fry everything
Heat a wok on high. Add oil (2 tbsp) (we usually take this from the deep-frying oil). Before the oil gets too hot (before it starts to shimmer or smoke), add the dried chili and stir immediately. Fry for just 8 seconds to extract the flavor, and then remove them.
Add the minced garlic and fry it for 15 seconds, stirring the entire time.
Add the diced bell peppers and green onion whites. Fry for 20-25 seconds, still stirring constantly.
Add the fried tofu and stir-fry for 10 seconds.
While stirring constantly, sprinkle the garlic salt+white pepper seasoning mix over all the ingredients in the wok until the tofu cubes are evenly coated. You probably won't use up all of the seasoning. We only used half of what we prepared.
Step 7: Plate & serve
Turn off the heat and plate. Make sure to scoop up all the little bits of vegetables; they're delicious. Enjoy!
