The one step people skip is the salt water, and it is the step that decides the dish. Ten minutes in lightly salted water firms the outside of soft tofu and seasons it through, so the slices hold together in the pan and taste of something before the sauce arrives. After that it is a plain hot fry and a quick tumble with chili, scallion and two spoons of sauce.
Chinese · Main
Pan Fried Soft Tofu With Chili and Scallion Soy
Blocks of soft tofu soak in lightly salted water, fry to a deep gold on both sides, then finish in the same pan with bird's eye chili, scallion, soy sauce and oyster sauce.
- Prep15 min
- Cook10 min
- Serves2
- LevelEasy
Ingredients
| 200 g | soft water tofu , cut into thick slices |
| 1 | bird's eye chili , minced |
| 1 stalk | scallion , minced |
| 1 tbsp | soy sauce |
| half tbsp | oyster sauce |
| a pinch | chicken bouillon powder |
| to taste | salt , for the soaking water and the pan |
Method
- Soak the tofu in lightly salted water for 10 minutes.
- Mince the chili and the scallion.
- Drain the tofu and pat it dry, then cut it into even, fairly thin slices.
- Heat oil in a pan and lay the slices in. Fry one side until set and golden.
- Flip carefully and fry the second side to the same color, then lift the slices out.
- Add a little more oil if the pan is dry and fry the chili and scallion until fragrant.
- Return the tofu to the pan, add the soy sauce, oyster sauce, salt and the bouillon, and toss gently until every slice is coated.
Notes
- Pat the slices dry after the soak. Water on the surface drops the pan temperature and tears the tofu.
- Fry in two batches if the pan crowds. Overlapping slices steam instead of browning.
Ratios and technique checked against 缘豆儿 on Douguo (香煎豆腐). The method here is written by Stellaok; the photograph is the source kitchen's, credited on the image above and linked back to the page it came from. No recipe text is reproduced.