The Best Way to Cook Crispy Tofu

Step 1

Drain the tofu well on paper towels: place a couple of paper towels down on a plate or cutting board and lay out the tofu. Place a couple of paper towels on top. They idea is that you’re drying it out slightly – you’re not pressing it, just removing some excess moisture. Pressing removes most of the moisture from tofu, which is NOT what we want here. Leave it a bit moist, this ensures a soft and creamy tofu interior that will contrast with the crunchy cornstarch/potato starch coating. Cut the tofu into small 1/2 inch cubes. Mix the cornstarch, potato starch and salt in a bowl or shallow dish. Toss tofu in starch mix, ensuring there are no bare spots.

Step 2

In a non-stick pan or cast iron pan, heat up a bit of oil over medium-high heat. You don’t need a bunch of oil here, just maybe about 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons. When the oil is hot and shimmery (you can test it with an uncoated wooden chopstick – when the oil is hot bubbles will form around the chopstick), add the coated pieces of tofu and cook until golden brown and crispy. Time wise, this can vary, but tofu is quite forgiving as it doesn’t brown easily. Flip and brown all the sides. Rest tofu on a wire rack – the rack will keep the tofu bottoms from getting soggy and letting the tofu rest before saucing also ensures crispiness.

Step 3

While the tofu is resting, make the sauce. Place the mirin and sake in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat for 2 minutes. Add the miso and stir until smooth. Stir in the sugar, and reduce to low. When bubbles break the surface, the glaze is done. Remove from the heat.

Step 4

Toss the tofu in the sauce and enjoy as is, with toasted sesame seeds, or on top of your favorite grains with a bunch of vegetables.