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Salt and pepper tofu

The salt and pepper tofu is a popular dish on the menu of many Chinese restaurants.

Here is the quick and easy salt and pepper tofu recipe.

It is a nutritious meal that is easy to prepare and has a sharp and contracting flavor from chili, peppercorn, garlic, and ginger. The tofu soaks up all the delicious flavor from the seasonings like a blank canvas.

The choice of tofu is individual, but using extra-firm tofu will make it easier to handle and have fewer chances of breaking during the cooking process.

Note: Tofu is the direct translation of the Chinese words 豆腐.  It is also called bean curd in some recipes.

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Salt and pepper tofu. It has a crispy exterior and a load of flavor from the savory seasoning. An authentic Chinese recipe.

How to prepare salt and pepper tofu

Here are the simple steps to prepare my salt and pepper tofu. You will notice that I use a combination of ginger, garlic, spring onions, and dried chili often in my cooking, including this recipe. This combination is the base of many of my stir-fried, which works like magic. Also, check out my General Tso chicken which I use to create an excellent umami taste. 

1. Cut and fried the tofu

  1. Place the tofu cubes on kitchen paper towels single layer to absorb as much water as possible.
  2. If you are using silken tofu or soft tofu, you can harden it by removing the excess water from the tofu by putting a heavy object on it. To do that, place the tofu on a tabletop, cover it with a cloth, and put a cutting board on top. After half an hour, you will find lots of water released from the tofu.
  3. Cut the tofu into 1-inch cubes.
  4. Coat the tofu with a mixture of cornstarch and all-purpose flour, which helps absorb the water to form a crispy texture during frying. Wheat starch and potato starch are also suitable instead of using cornstarch.
  5. Heat some oil in a large frying pan to medium-high heat (180°C/355°F). You can measure it with a kitchen thermometer or place wooden chopsticks into the oil. The temperature is suitable for deep-frying the tofu when a constant stream of bubbles rises around the chopsticks.
  6. Flip the tofu to the other sides from time to time to ensure even cooking. Deep fry the tofu until golden brown.
  7. Remove the fried tofu with a slotted spoon and drain in a colander to remove the excess oil.
Salt and pepper tofu. It has a crispy exterior and a load of flavor from the savory seasoning. An authentic Chinese recipe.

2. Prepare the aromatics

  1. The tofu pieces are tossed in a combination of aromatics comprising spring onions, dry chilies, garlic, and ginger.
  2. Cut the spring onions into small rings and coarsely chopped garlic and ginger.
  3. Remove the seeds of the dry chili, and cut it into a few short sections.

3. Prepare the salt and pepper mixture

  1. Place the white peppercorns, cumin seeds, and Szechuan peppercorns in a pan without oil. Dry fry them over low heat until aromatic.
  2. Remove and let it cool, then ground it with a mortar and pestle.
  3. Let it pass through a fine sieve to remove the large particles if you prefer a fine texture.
  4. Mix well with salt and is ready to use.

Note: 

  • If you do not like the tongue-numbing mouthfeel, please substitute the white pepper with black pepper and omit the Szechuan peppercorn. However, the traditional Chinese salt and pepper combination usually includes Szechuan peppercorns.
  • The cumin seeds are also optional, and you can use a small amount of Chinese five-spice powder as the substitute.
  • You can purchase the Szechuan peppercorn powder if you can’t get the whole Szechuan peppercorns from the grocery store.

4. Stir-fry the tofu

  1. Heat some oil in the wok and saute the dried chili, spring onions, ginger, and garlic over low heat until aromatic.
  2. Return the crispy tofu into the wok.
  3. Sprinkle the ground pepper seasoning mixture abundantly into the wok, then thoroughly mix it with the tofu cubes. 
  4. Finally, drizzle some sesame oil and light soy sauce to mix with the tofu (optional). 
  5. Garnish with spring onion rings and some finely chopped red chili or red bell pepper. You can also sprinkle some toasted sesame seeds on top to serve.

The salt and pepper tofu is good to serve without a sauce. However, if you like, any chili sauce is a good choice as a dipping sauce for the tofu. I like to use the extra salt and pepper seasoning for dipping to accentuate the taste.

Salt and pepper tofu. It has a crispy exterior and a load of flavor from the savory seasoning. An authentic Chinese recipe.

Other related Chinese food recipes for you:

  • Braised Tofu With Vegetables – This recipe is an authentic home-cooked dish popular among Chinese households. It is braised in a clay pot which adds an earthy aroma.
  • Mapo Tofu – It has the bursting and mouth-numbing flavor that you must try.
  • Vegetable stir fry:  This stir-fry is one of the most popular recipes on this food blog.
Yield: 2

Salt and Pepper Tofu

salt and pepper tofu recipe 4

Salt and pepper tofu. It has a crispy exterior and a load of flavor from the savory seasoning. An authentic Chinese recipe.

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes

Ingredients

Ingredients A

  • 4 pieces of firm tofu
  • 1 tbsp cornflour
  • 1 tbsp all-purpose flour

Ingredients B (seasoning)

Ingredients C (aromatic)

  • 1/2 tbsp chopped garlic
  • 1/2 tbsp chopped ginger
  • 1/2 tbsp chopped spring onion
  • 1 dried chili, removed seeds, and cut into short sections

Ingredients D (garnish)

  • Spring onion rings
  • Chopped fresh red chili

Instructions

  1. Place the tofu cubes on kitchen paper towels single layer to absorb as much water as 
  2. Cut the tofu into 1-inch cubes.
  3. Coat the tofu with a mixture of cornstarch and all-purpose flour.
  4. Heat some oil to medium-high heat (180°C/355°F). 
  5. Deep fry the tofu until golden brown.
  6. Remove the fried tofu and drain in a colander.
  7. Place the white peppercorns, cumin seeds, and Szechuan peppercorns in a pan without oil. Dry fry them over low heat until aromatic.
  8. Remove and let it cool, then ground it with a mortar and pestle.
  9. Heat some oil in the wok and saute the dried chili, spring onions, ginger, and garlic over low heat until aromatic.
  10. Return the crispy tofu into the wok.
  11. Sprinkle the ground pepper seasoning mixture abundantly into the wok, then thoroughly mix it with the tofu cubes. 
  12. Garnish with spring onion rings and some finely chopped red chili to serve.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

2

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 495Total Fat: 28gSaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 76mgSodium: 4973mgCarbohydrates: 30gFiber: 4gSugar: 5gProtein: 33g

This data was provided and calculated by Nutritionix on 4/6/2022

KP Kwan

Saturday 4th of June 2022

Hi, this is KP Kwan. I am happy to see you in this comment area, as you have read through my recipe. I am glad to reply to any questions and comments as soon as possible.

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