Salt and Pepper Tofu

Ingrédients

Kosher salt and ground black pepper

¼ teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder (optional)

⅓ cup cornstarch

Two 14-ounce containers firm OR extra-firm tofu, drained, halved lengthwise, cut crosswise into ½-inch-thick pieces and pressed dry with paper towels

4 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon grapeseed or other neutral oil

4 medium garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 serrano OR Fresno chili, stemmed and finely chopped

4 scallions, thinly sliced on the diagonal, whites and greens reserved separately

Instructions

In a pie plate, whisk together 2 teaspoons salt, 1 tablespoon pepper, the five-spice (if using) and cornstarch. Working a few pieces at a time, coat the tofu on all sides with the cornstarch mixture, then transfer to a large plate.

In a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high, heat 2 tablespoons oil until shimmering. Add half of the tofu in a single layer and cook until browned on the bottom, 3 to 5 minutes. Using tongs, flip the pieces and cook until the second sides are browned, 3 to 5 minutes; transfer to a paper towel–lined plate. Using 2 tablespoons of the remaining oil, cook the remaining tofu in the same way and transfer to the plate.

In the same skillet, combine the remaining 1 teaspoon oil, the garlic, chili and scallion whites; cook over medium, stirring, until the garlic is fragrant and lightly browned, about 1 minute. Stir in the scallion greens, then return the tofu to the skillet and gently toss to combine. Transfer to a platter, scraping the bits from the pan onto the tofu.

Notes

Instead of deep-frying, a common cooking technique to make Chinese salt and pepper tofu, we coat the pieces of tofu with seasoned cornstarch, then pan-fry them in batches to brown and crisp the exteriors. In the empty skillet, a punchy mix of garlic, fresh chili and scallions is quickly cooked, and the tofu is tossed back in. The finished dish is sauceless but incredibly flavorful from the savory bits that cling to the tofu’s crisped surfaces.