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Korean fried tofu is a tantalising dish featuring crispy tofu cubes bathed in a savoury, sweet, and slightly spicy sauce. The tofu itself gives a delightful contrast of textures – crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, elevated by the sauce which is a blend of umami richness and subtle heat.

Double frying

Double frying is the key to crispy and juicy chicken, often used in Asian recipes, like Taiwanese salt and pepper chicken and Korean fried chicken or tofu. It gives the chicken or tofu an extra crispiness. The first fry cooks the meat through and seals the juices inside, and then the second fry at a higher temperature gives you that extra crunchy texture. Also, when you double fry, especially chicken, you cook it gently by first frying it at a lower temperature, allowing the inside to cook without drying out. The second fry then quickly crisps the outside without overcooking the inside, this makes sure the meat stays juicy.

What’s sweet potato flour?

Sweet potato flour has a coarser texture than cornflour or regular potato flour. It’s commonly used in deep fried Taiwanese food like salt and pepper chicken. Fried chicken (or tofu in this recipe) coated in sweet potato flour will be crispy after frying, whereas other flour will make the chicken taste like battered chicken, lacking the thin and crisp texture.

You will have to go to an Asian supermarket for this flour, or get it from online Chinese shop, or get it on Amazon.

Which tofu to use?

Cauldron Vegan Tofu Block is the only tofu I’ll buy in the UK for firm tofu. Because it’s so close to authentic Asian tofu, I don’t even buy tofu from Asian supermarkets anymore.

My second choice would be Sainsbury’s SO Organic Super Firm Tofu, it’s also quite similar to authentic Asian tofu.

Ingredients

1 block firm tofu
Sweet potato flour or cornflour
Vegetable oil for deep frying

sauce

3 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoon gochujang (Korean chilli paste)
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon roasted sesame seeds

Method

1. Pat dry tofu block and cut into cubes
2. In a large bowl, mix the sauce ingredients together.
3. Coat tofu cubes with sweet potato flour
4. Heat vegetable oil on medium-high heat, when oil is ready, deep fry tofu cubes for 3-4 mins until lightly golden. remove from oil and set aside for 2 minutes.
5. Turn up the heat slightly and deep fry tofu again for 1-2 mins until golden. Remove from oil and set aside.
6. heat a small pan on medium-low heat. add sauce to pan and heat until the sauce starts bubbling and slightly thickened.
7. Put fried tofu in the large bowl that you used for the sauce, add thickened sauce over tofu and toss well.
8. Serve hot with rice and Korean side dishes.