This crispy tofu recipe without deep-frying is one of our favourites and regular rotations. I love that I don’t have to pat dry the tofu, or toast the sesame seeds separately, and of course, no deep-frying is needed!
Cooking Tips 1 – 50:50 Flour to Starch
Once, I followed another tofu recipe in that the coating was 100% starch. But I find that the tofu tend to stick to each other while cooking. And the tofu was chewy rather than crispy. So I use flour and starch at a 50:50 ratio. It turns out the tofu can hold its shape separately while cooking yet not easy to break, and it has the crispy edges which I was looking for.
Cooking Tips 2 – Cook Tofu Immediately After Coating
Many similar recipes ask you to pat dry the tofu before coating, but I find that it’s not necessary in this case. Only one thing we have to do – cook them in hot oil right after coating. If you put the coating but let it sit, the tofu will release water and ruin the coating.
So, what I usually do is, get the oil to be hot enough(but not smoking), then coat one piece of tofu and pop it to shallow-fry, then coat the other tofu, one by one.
Firm or Soft Tofu?
When it comes to any kind of fry, I always use firm tofu as it is easier to handle and the shape can be retained, although some professionals like to use soft tofu to achieve the crispy-outside-soft-inside. I always want an easier approach while cooking, so I recommend using firm tofu here.
Sesame Crispy Tofu Recipe
Simple seasoning with a crispy texture outside. It’s a simple tofu dish that you can cook in 15 minutes.
Ingredients
Serves 2-3
For the tofu
- 250 g firm tofu
- 1 tbsp plain flour
- 1 tbsp tapioca flour (or cornstarch)
- 2 tsp sesame seeds
- ¼ tsp salt
- ⅛ tsp white pepper
For the sauce
- 1 tsp soy sauce
- ½ tsp oyster sauce
- ½ tsp sugar
- 2 tbsp water
How to Make
- Cut the tofu into a rectangle or square with about 1 ½ cm thickness. No need to pat dry.
- Heat 3 tbsp of oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Mix the flour, starch, sesame, salt, pepper on a plate, then coat the tofu evenly. Pop each piece of tofu into the hot pan once the coating is on.
- While the tofu is being shallow-fried, mix all the sauce ingredients in a small bowl.
- When you see the edges of the tofu turning golden, it’s time to flip them. Continue frying until both sides are nicely browned. Place them on a plate.
- Turn off the heat and pour the sauce into the pan, it should be immediately brought to a simmer (if your pan is still hot enough). Spoon the sauce over the tofu and serve immediately.
More Tofu Recipes
Firm Tofu
- Everyday Tofu with Spinach, Tomato and Basil
- Simple Tofu Recipe in Comforting Tomato Sauce
- Pan-Fried Balsamic Tofu Recipe
- Easy Five Spice Tofu in 15 Minutes
Soft Tofu
