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Crispy Glazed Tofu
3 servings

[ INGREDIENTS ]

TOFU

Firm or Extra Firm Tofu
Cornstarch
Potato Starch
Peanut Oil

MARINADE

Soy Sauce
Sesame Oil
Rice Wine Vinegar
Brown Sugar
Garlic

GLAZE

Soy Sauce
Ketchup
Honey
Rice Wine Vinegar
Cornstarch
Water

[ INSTRUCTIONS ]

PREP THE TOFU

1. Tear :
   
   1 Pound Firm or Extra Firm Tofu; ^{1 , 2}
   into two-bite chunks; ragged, torn edges are ideal here for crispy craggy edges after frying.
2. In a large bowl, add :
   
   1/2 Cup Soy Sauce;
   1 Tablespoon Sesame Oil;
   1 Tablespoon Rice Wine Vinegar;
   1 Teaspoon Brown Sugar;
   2 Garlic Cloves, Grated;.
3. Mix well, then add the tofu to the marinade.
4. Let the tofu sit for 30 minutes, flipping the chunks halfway through to ensure that they soak on all sides.
5. In another bowl, add :
   
   1/2 Cup Cornstarch;
   1/4 Cup Potato Starch;.
6. Toss the marinated tofu chunks in the starch mixture until covered on all sides and in every crevice; you might have to do this in batches, depending on the size of your bowl.
7. Let the coated tofu rest for 5 - 10 minutes until the coating looks less powdery.
8. Spread the tofu on a plate or baking sheet to prevent clumping.

FRY THE TOFU

1. Heat :
   
   2 - 3 Cups Peanut Oil;
   in a deep cast iron pan or Dutch oven over high heat.
2. While the oil heats, prepare the glaze ingredient: In a separate saucepan, without turning on the heat, add :
   
   2 Tablespoon Soy Sauce;
   4 Tablespoon Ketchup;
   2 Tablespoon Honey;
   1 Tablespoon Rice Wine Vinegar;.
3. Once the oil is shimmering, test the temperature by flicking in a bit of cornstarch; if the oil is hot enough, it’ll immediately bubble around the starch.
4. Gently lower the coated tofu into the oil one at a time, keeping an inch of space around each chunk. Fry in batches to avoid crowding the pan.
5. Using chopsticks, a slotted metal spoon or tongs, or a wire skimmer, flip the tofu as needed until all sides are equally golden brown.
6. Once the chunks are well browned, transfer to a wire rack over a baking sheet or a paper towel on a plate.

MAKE THE GLAZE

1. Place the saucepan containing the glaze mixture over medium heat.
2. Stir until well combined, and let the sauce simmer gently but not boil.
3. In a small cup, make a slurry by mixing :
   
   1/2 Teaspoon Cornstarch;
   2 Tablespoon Water;
   and pour into the glaze mixture.
4. Raise heat to medium-high and bring to a steady simmer, stirring continuously until you see the mixture thicken.
5. The glaze should coat the back of a spoon, staying separate if you run your finger down the center.
6. Add the fried tofu back into a large bowl.
7. Start by adding half the glaze.
8. Toss the tofu in the glaze until it’s covered on all sides and crevices, and continue to add glaze as desired.
9. Garnish with sesame seeds and scallions if you’d like.

[ NOTE ]

¹ The day before you plan to eat the tofu, put the tofu in the freezer to freeze fully. (Taking the tofu out of the water-filled container and putting it into another one will make it slightly easier to thaw though you can freeze the package as-is.)

² The day you want to eat the tofu, thaw it fully, either in the fridge or in short increments in the microwave. When you’re ready to cook, give the block of tofu a few big squeezes above a sink or rimmed container to remove the water. (Be careful with microwaved tofu since the water can be hotter than you think). It’s fine if the block cracks from the squeezing.

³ Substitute with any neutral oil. Some of the most popular choices are vegetable oil, canola oil, grapeseed oil, sunflower oil, and corn oil. All of these have a relatively high smoke point, somewhere between 420 to 450 F or 216 to 230 C, which means they'll work equally well for deep frying.

::: View the original recipe for Crispy Glazed Tofu at splendidtable.org