Home Style Tofu (家常豆腐)
If you aren’t a tofu lover already, you will be after you try this home style tofu. It has a tender texture and crispy crust along with a savory, lightly spicy sauce and crunchy veggies. {Vegan}
- Prep time
- 15 min
- Cook time
- 15 min
- Yield
- 2 servings
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
- 1 block (14 oz/396 g) soft or medium firm tofu (, cut into 1 cm thick triangles (Footnote 1))
- 1 cup vegetable oil (, for deep frying)
- 4 clove garlic (, sliced)
- 1 " (2.5 cm) ginger (, thinly sliced into strips)
- 3 green onions (, cut into 1" pieces, white and green parts separated)
- 1 tbsp doubanjiang
- 1/2 carrot (, sliced (about 1/3 cup))
- 1 bell pepper (, cut into 1” diamonds)
- 1 (8-oz / 226 g) can sliced bamboo shoots (, or 1 bamboo shoot, sliced (about 1/3 cup))
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 3 tbsp light soy sauce ((or soy sauce))
- 1 tbsp Chinkiang vinegar
- 2 tsp vegetarian oyster sauce ((or sweet bean paste) (Footnote 2))
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 3 tbsp water ((or vegetable stock))
- 1+1/2 tsp cornstarch
- 1 tbsp water
Instructions
- 1
Mix the sauce ingredients together in a medium bowl.
- 2
Add the slurry ingredients into a small bowl and stir to mix well.
- 3
In a high-walled skillet or pot, heat the oil to 375°F (190°C). Carefully add the tofu. Fry until both sides turn golden, about 3 minutes. Flip once or twice to ensure even cooking. Remove the tofu from the oil and transfer it to a big plate.
- 4
Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of oil from the pan (alternatively, you can heat 1 tablespoon of oil in another large skillet).
- 5
Add the garlic, ginger, green onion (white part), and doubanjiang to the pan. Turn the heat to medium. Stir fry to release the fragrance until the oil turns red, about 2 minutes.
- 6
Add the fried tofu, carrots, bell peppers, and bamboo. Stir fry for 30 seconds to 1 minute.
- 7
Pour in the sauce. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer, gently flipping occasionally. Simmer for 5 minutes.
- 8
Add the green onion (green part). Mix the slurry again so the cornstarch is fully dissolved. Pour in the slurry and mix with a spatula until the sauce thickens.
- 9
Drizzle in a teaspoon of sesame oil to finish up.
- 10
Serve hot over steamed rice as a main dish.