Salt and Pepper Tofu are super crispy and a staple Chinese restaurant dish! The tofu are seasoned and quickly fried until crispy and tossed with scallions, chilis, and garlic with a salt and pepper seasoning mix! This is a great recipe for those who are vegetarian or looking to incorporate more tofu at the dinner table - see below for the full detailed recipe!
Remove the block of firm tofu from the package, drain well, and pat dry. Cut lengthwise in half then in the opposite direction to form 2" cubes.
Bring a pot of water to a boil and season with a tablespoon of kosher salt. Add tofu to the boiling water, cover and turn the heat to low. Blanch for 5 minutes then drain. Pat the tofu cubes completely dry.
In a bowl, add the tofu cubes and season with salt, pepper, and 2 tbsp of cornstarch.
Mix in a beaten egg to cover the tofu and mix. Dust the tofu cubes in a plate of cornstarch until fully coated.
Fry the tofu cubes at 375F for 2-3 minutes until golden brown. If necessary, fry them in batches so the oil doesn't drop below 350F. Remove and drain well on a wire rack or paper towel.
In a separate pan, add 1 tbsp of neutral oil over medium high heat and add garlic and scallion whites. Sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant, then add the red and green chilis and saute for another minute. Add back the tofu and seasoning mixture and toss until well coated throughout. Garnish with scallion greens and enjoy!
Notes
Air Fryer Instructions: Follow the recipe through steps 1 through 4. Lay the dredged pieces of tofu onto your air fryer basket, then spray generously with a neutral oil spray such as avocado oil, vegetable oil, or canola oil. Air fry the tofu pieces at 375F for 10-12 minutes. Give them a flip and air fry for another 5 minutes until they're super crispy. The time may need to be adjusted depending on the strength of your air fryer, so be sure to check the tofu throughout the air frying process to ensure they come out to a crisp golden brown! Finally, follow step 6 in the recipe and serve!