Fried tofu with chive oil is a typical Chinese dish, coated in a golden and crispy crust and flavored with aromatic chive oil. Known for its multilayered texture, crispy outside and tender inside, and its delicious aromatic flavor. If you have never made it, I recommend you try it.
For this recipe, I prefer using firm or medium tofu, as it is less likely to break compared to soft tofu when handled. It also has a much more pronounced soybean flavor that I really appreciate. Drain the liquid in which the tofu is stored, let it rest until it returns to room temperature if it was cold (very cold tofu will drastically lower the oil temperature during frying), then cut it into cubes of about three-quarters of an inch.
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very cheap
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 16 Pieces
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
- 10.5 oz tofu (firm or medium)
- 2 tbsp flour
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 pinch instant yeast for savory preparations (optional, slightly increases crispiness and golden color)
- to taste salt and white pepper powder
- 1 stalk chives
- a pinch of cumin
- 3.4 fl oz sunflower oil
- to taste soybean oil (for frying)
Steps
First, prepare the chive oil by finely slicing the green stalk and the white part, which you will place in a bowl along with two pinches of cumin seeds. After heating the sunflower oil in a pan, pour it hot over the chives, mix the mixture, and let it rest in the bowl or in a closed jar.
Drain the liquid in which the tofu is stored, let it rest until it returns to room temperature if it was cold, then cut it into cubes of about three-quarters of an inch (in the photo, my homemade semi-firm tofu). Then, using absorbent kitchen paper, gently pat the tofu cubes.
In a small bowl, mix the flour, cornstarch, a pinch of salt, and a pinch of white pepper, coat the tofu cubes evenly and thinly on all sides, then gently remove any excess flour.
Pay attention to the drying and breading times of the tofu; the flour-coated tofu cubes must be fried immediately, otherwise, the water’s moisture will return to the surface.
Place the soybean oil in a pan, covering the surface, and heat it over medium-high flame, then lay the breaded tofu cubes inside.
Fry each side of the cube until they become evenly golden. Turn them gently with tongs to avoid breaking them.
When they are well-golden, transfer them to a plate lined with kitchen paper to absorb excess oil.
Place the fried tofu cubes on a serving dish and before serving, sprinkle them with the chive oil you prepared earlier.
