fried tofu w/ blackberry ponzu sauce

Crispy Tofu Meets Sweet-Tart Bliss: Easy Fried Tofu with Blackberry Ponzu

Tips

frying in large batches

Unlike other fried foods, you can crowd the pot with tofu chunks! This works best when they are in cubes, however with a little finesse you can fry almost any shape in large batches. Just follow these steps below! And don’t worry you can always do smaller batches!

1. Fill the pot: Add about ⅔ of the tofu to your fryer for the first round.
2. Gently move the tofu: Use chopsticks or another utensil to prevent the pieces from sticking together.
3. Crisp it up: Let the tofu cook for about 1 minute, until a golden crust forms on the outside.
4. Add the rest: Now, add the remaining ⅓ of the tofu. Drop these pieces along the sides of the pot, not in the center.
5. Keep it loose: Use your utensil to break up the tofu again for even cooking.

Now you’ll have a pot full of crispy, delicious tofu!

wait why are we boiling it?

Boiling tofu allows for an even cook when frying, and offers a nice soft final texture. This allows to tofu to crispy with a delectable texture. It may seem counterinative, since we normally don’t want to add water, but this is the way to go when frying tofu at home.

fried tofu w/ blackberry sauce

Preparation Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 10 minutes | Serving size: 4-6 servings

Gather

tofu

• 2 16-ounce packages firm tofu
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon white pepper
• Frying oil
• 1 egg
• 1 cup cornstarch
• ½ teaspoon garlic salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper

blackberry ponzu

• 6 ounces blackberries
• 2 tablespoons mirin
• 3 tablespoons sake
• 3 tablespoons lime juice
• ½ cup soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 piece kombu (6 grams)
• 4 dried shiitake mushrooms 

Follow

fried tofu

1. Cut tofu as desired. Keep in mind this may change the cooking time. The smaller the cubes, the more “crunch” you’ll get. The larger the cubes, the more tofu you get in each piece for soft, tender tofu. So choose your adventure! 
2. Bring a large pot of water (about 4 to 5 cups) to a boil. Add salt and white pepper to water. Add tofu and let boil for 3 to 4 minutes. Reduce heat, cover with a lid and boil for another 2 minutes. In the meantime, prepare a baking sheet or other large dish with a tea cloth or paper towel.
3. Once tofu is done, strain and place onto the towel. Be careful: They will be very hot. Use additional towels to pat dry.
4. In a large Dutch oven, heat 2 inches of frying oil to 400 degrees. 
5. While oil is heating, beat egg and place in bowl. In another bowl or pie dish, add cornstarch, garlic salt and pepper  Toss tofu pieces in egg and then in cornstarch mix, coating each tofu piece. Work in batches if necessary. 
6. Fry tofu: You can crowd the pot more than you think, but if you are not comfortable with frying in large batches, I’d work in smaller sections. Place coated tofu into a spider catcher, and slowly lower into hot oil (oil should be 400 degrees). Break up and push tofu around with a thin spatula, long spoon or chopsticks for a few seconds after dropping. This will keep them from sticking.
7. Fry tofu for 3 to 5 minutes, achieving a golden crust. Remove tofu with a spider catcher. Place tofu on wire rack or paper towel. Serve plain, or tossed in your favorite sauce (see below).

blackberry ponzu sauce

1. In a small pan, simmer the mirin and sake for a minute. Then remove from heat and cool to room temperature.
2. Place blackberries into a storage jar. Mash up the blackberries a little with a spoon or fork. You want some juices to come out.
3. Combine the lime juice, soy sauce, vinegar, water, kombu and mushrooms along with the mirin-sake mixture in the same jar as the blackberries.
4. Steep overnight. Strain through a fine strainer. (Note: This can be refrigerated for up to two weeks.)