serves
4
prep
20 minutes
cook
10 minutes
difficulty
Easy
serves
4
people
preparation
20
minutes
cooking
10
minutes
difficulty
Easy
level
Ingredients
- Vegetable oil, for deep-frying
- 250 g silken tofu, cut into 2-3cm rectangles
- 100 g potato starch
- 2 spring onion (scallion), thinly sliced
- 3 red bird’s eye chilli, thinly sliced
- 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- Micro-herbs, to garnish
Salt and pepper mix
- 1 tbsp salt
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp ground white pepper
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- ½ tsp five-spice powder
Instructions
For the salt and pepper mix, combine all the ingredients in a small bowl.
Fill a wok one-third full of oil and heat to 180°C or until a cube of bread dropped into the oil browns in 15 seconds. Dust the tofu pieces gently with the potato starch, shake off the excess starch, then add them a few at a time in quick succession to the oil. Deep-fry for 2 minutes or until crisp, then carefully transfer to a tray lined with paper towel to drain the excess oil.
Place the tofu into a mixing bowl, then sprinkle with the salt and pepper mix and toss gently. Transfer to a serving plate.
Drain all but 2 tbsp of oil from the wok, then return the wok to medium-high heat. Add the spring onion, chilli and garlic and stir for 2 minutes or until fragrant. Scatter over the tofu, then garnish with the micro herbs and serve immediately.
Photography by Alan Benson. Styling by Lynsey Fryers. Food preparation by Tammi Kwok.
airs Thursdays at 8pm on SBS. Visit the for recipes, videos and more.
Cook's Notes
Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.