Salt and Pepper Tofu

Salt and Pepper Tofu

This is one of those recipes we keep coming back to again and again. Salt and pepper tofu is pure, simple magic; seriously crispy on the outside, tender in the middle, and loaded with that punchy, aromatic flavour from the Chinese five spice and black pepper. It's the kind of thing you'd order as a takeaway and then immediately wish you'd made yourself. We've nailed it here, and honestly, once you try it this way, you'll never look back. Get this on the table tonight; you won't regret it.

Cook: 20 min
Serves 2

Before You Start

  • Wok
  • Slotted spoon
  • Small bowl for seasoning mix
  • Plate lined with kitchen paper

Ingredients

  • 6 tbsp cornflour
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ½ tsp white pepper
  • ½ tsp Chinese 5 spice
  • tbsp vegetable oil for frying
  • 1 vegetable oil
  • 4 spring onions
  • 4 garlic cloves
  • 2 red chillies
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp white pepper
  • ½ tsp Chinese 5 spice
  • 2 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
  • 2 tbsp maple syrup
  • sesame seeds
  • spring onion

Method

1

Prepare the tofu 

  • Gently squeeze the tofu to get rid of any excess liquid
  • Rip the tofu into roughly equal sized pieces
  • Add the cornflour, salt, pepper and Chinese five spice to a bowl and and stir to combine
  • Add the tofu pieces to the bowl and toss to coat and cover
  • Warm 1 inch vegetable oil in a wok over medium heat until the end of a wooden spoon gently fizzes with small bubbles
  • Lower the tofu into the wok and fry until golden and really crispy
  • Use a slotted spoon to transfer the tofu to a plate lined with kitchen paper and set to one side
  • If you prefer, stick the coated tofu straight into the air fryer and fry at 200º for 15 minutes
2

Prepare the ingredients 

  • Trim the spring onions, finely slice and split the white and green parts
  • Peel and grate the garlic
  • Finely slice the chillies
3

Fry the tofu and serve 

  • Warm 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a wok over medium heat
  • Add the white parts of the spring onion and the garlic to the oil and stir for 1 minute to cook through
  • Add the tofu to the wok and toss to coat
  • Stir the maple syrup and sweet chilli sauce together into a glaze then pour over the tofu until it's nice and glossy
  • Mix the salt, pepper and five spice in a small bowl to combine, sprinkle over the tofu and toss to coat
  • Pour into a serving bowl and sprinkle the remaining spring onions and top with sesame seeds and serve immediately

Tips & Variations

  • Get the oil hot enough: The wooden spoon test is your best mate here. If the end of a wooden spoon fizzes gently with small bubbles when you dip it in, you're good to go. Too cool and the tofu will just absorb the oil and go soggy.
  • Press your tofu well: Even a couple of minutes pressing the tofu between some kitchen paper makes a real difference. Less moisture means crispier tofu, and crispier tofu means a better dinner.
  • Make it your own: We love serving this over steamed rice with some stir-fried greens on the side, but it's also incredible stuffed into a wrap or piled on top of noodles. Henry always adds a little extra chilli at the end for some heat.

Why This Works

The trick here is ripping the tofu by hand instead of slicing it. Those rough, jagged edges create way more surface area, which means way more crunch when it hits the hot oil. The cornflour coating is the other big thing; it's what gives you that proper crispy shell that holds all that salt, pepper and five spice right where you want it. Trust us on this one, it makes all the difference.