Note: You will probably have to go to your city's Chinatown to find the tofu needed for this recipe. For deep-frying tofu, you want to use tofu that is fairly soft, not the heavy brick-like kind, but more the soft kind that is even difficult to pick up without it falling apart. You'll probably find this kind of tofu in natural food stores, but it is much, much cheaper to buy in Chinatown. While you're in Chinatown, pick up some fresh rice noodles and spring roll wrappers to make some of the other recipes in this section.
You will need:
5-6 cups of peanut oil, enough to fill a saucepan about 3 inches deep
soft tofu
Note: Do use peanut oil instead of other kinds of oils -- it makes a big difference in taste. Also, make sure there are another good 3 inches clear from the oil to the top of the saucepan to allow for the oil to splash without splashing up over the rim and onto the burner.
1. Heat the saucepan of peanut oil to medium-high.
2. Dice the tofu into pieces about 1-inch cubed. Try pieces of different thicknesses and sizes to see what you prefer.
3. Once the oil is hot enough (it should take about 8-10 minutes to get hot enough), drop (carefully so the oil doesn't splash up) some of the tofu cubes into the oil. Don't put too many at time -- don't crowd them. Cook them for about 5-7 minutes, turning occasionally, until they are all bubbly and brown on the outside. If you're not sure if it's ready, over-cooked is better than under-cooked, so give them another few minutes.
4. Remove from oil and let cool on a wire rack.
5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 until all of the cubes have been cooked.
Note: Deep-fried tofu can be enjoyed by itself as a snack; it can also then be used in soups or other recipes, such as Tofu Pan-fried With Scallions.
Source: Lisa Routhier.
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