One summer evening in 2010, when I was being very bad at being a gentleman, I went to visit Vivian Wang at her house in Rowland Heights. Her mom had graciously decided to allow me to stay for dinner. For dinner was a tofu dish: small, domino-shaped and -sized blocks of tofu, deep-fried until crispy and coated in perfectly-fried garlic.
I’d been trying to replicate the recipe ever since, but I have remained unable to quite match the texture, no matter what variations I try. I’d been using several different recipes, and experimenting: what if I used a mixture of corn starch and flour as a batter? What if I deep-fried it, rather than pan-fry it? Use a wok, rather than a frying pan?
Over time, as I’d tried different variations, I eventually found something I liked, even though it’s somewhat far from what I tasted that summer evening. Vivian’s mom’s tofu was to be dipped in black vinegar. My tofu has the entire thing coated in a layer of sauce. Vivian told me, at Nolan’s wedding, in 2018 (eight years after I tried that dish, and not long after I finally got the chance to ask Vivian what was in that dish!) that her mom’s tofu was simply pan-fried. When I chatted Vivian in November, she’d told me that it was dead-simple, yet could not produce the exact recipe (she’d ask her mom). She thought it might involve a batter of tapioca-starch. But this turned out to be not true.
The result of the recipe below should be quite fluffy yet crispy; the sauce should give it a zing and a very savory punch, without being overly salty. The garlic gives a nice roasted flavor with some additional crunch lent by the garlic used as a garnish.
Quan’s Taiwanese-style Fried Tofu
Ingredients
- One package extra-firm tofu, drained
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1-2 stalks of green onions, sliced thinly (~1⁄4 in)
- 1⁄4 cup soy sauce
- 1-2 tbsp Chinese black vinegar (Gold Plum brand or bust)
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp sugar
- Cornstarch
- Canola oil
Cut extra-firm tofu into domino-shaped blocks. I did this by cutting the Trader Joe’s block of tofu into thirds, cutting in parallel to the long side, then cutting off the small tofu blocks three at a time. Place between two towels and press to remove excess water. Each block should be about 1⁄4” thick, 1” wide, and 1 1⁄2” long.
In a wok, fill bottom with canola oil to about 1⁄2” deep. Heat oil to about 375 degrees F.
Use cornstarch in a small bowl to coat all sides of each tofu block. Strike the tofu block against the wall to shake off excess cornstarch. Place up to about 15 pieces of tofu in the oil, letting the temperature drop to no less than 300 degrees F. Deep-fry until a bubble starts to form on the top-side of the tofu blocks, at which point, flip them over. Total frying time should be about 10 minutes per batch.
Remove fried tofu blocks and arrange on a towel-lined plate to remove excess oil. Fry the rest of the tofu, adding additional oil and re-heating it as needed.
Pour off the oil in the wok into a container appropriate for disposing oil. Do not wash out the oil, unless there is excess cornstarch. Mix 1 tbsp cornstarch (perhaps left over from the breading) with the soy sauce, black vinegar, sugar, and sesame oil. Stir thoroughly, ensuring the cornstarch becomes suspended in the sauce.
Fry all the minced garlic in the wok. Once the garlic browns, remove and reserve about half of the garlic as garnish. At this time, add a small handful of the green onions, and keep the rest for garnish. Give the sauce mixture one last stir and pour it into the wok – it should begin to sizzle and thicken immediately. Reduce heat, and stir in the tofu blocks, coating all sides. Be sure to serve quickly – it’s a race against time as the crispy tofu becomes soggy as the sauce is absorbed.
Garnish with fried garlic and green onions. Serve with rice.