Salt and Pepper Tofu
Yield: 4 Servings
Recipe by Lion Dance Cafe
Photos by Storm Now Creative
This salt and pepper tofu recipe is a long-time secret favorite from Oakland’s own Lion Dance Cafe. Created by James Beard semifinalist chefs C-Y Chia and Shane Stanbridge, this 'Authentic, not Traditional' dish redefined our expectations of salt and pepper tofu. It’s a riot of tingly Sichuan heat and savory crunch and the crispiest, most addictive deep fried tofu you’ll ever make at home.
The key is starting with what our friends at Lion Dance call “the most delicious extra firm tofu” and tossing it in a complex blend of tingly Sichuan, musky white, and earthy black peppercorns. This fried salt and pepper tofu delivers an irresistible umami kick that comes together in no time. For more bold, meatless flavors, look for the Lion Dance Cafe Cookbook: Authentic, not Traditional.
Ingredients
Fried Tofu
1-2 (10oz) blocks of Hodo Organic Extra Firm Tofu
1 cup cornstarch
1 tsp salt
at least 4 cups of neutral cooking oil for deep frying
Assembly
2 tbsp neutral cooking oil
12 Tien Tsin chilies, whole
1 tbsp garlic, minced
1 tbsp ginger, minced
2 tbsp dòuchǐ, aka preserved black beans
¼ cup jalapeño, small diced
¼ cup Fresno chili, small diced
¼ cup celery, small diced
¼ cup scallions, white part only, ¼” thick slice
½ cup freshly picked Thai basil leaves
½ tsp Chinese five spice powder
1 tsp toasted, ground red Sichuan peppercorns
1 tsp ground white pepper
½ tsp finely ground black pepper
½ tsp MSG, optional
½ tsp Kosher salt
2 tsp sugar
1 tbsp Shaoxing cooking wine (gf option: sub sherry cooking wine)
¼ cup scallion greens, ¼” thick slice
Instructions
Combine the starch and salt, and gently toss with the tofu to coat.
In a countertop fryer or heavy-bottomed pot, heat the frying oil to 350°F. Deep fry the tofu for 4-5 minutes or until crisped, stirring with a metal spoon to stop the pieces from sticking to each other. Drain and set aside.
Place a wok on high heat, and coat the inside with 2 tbsp oil. Once almost smoking, add the Tientsin chilies, immediately followed by the garlic, ginger, and douchi. Stir fry for 10 seconds, scraping the wok well with a wok spatula to prevent aromatics from sticking and burning.
Add the jalapeño, Fresno chili, celery, and scallion whites, and stir fry for 10 more seconds.
Add the Thai basil and seasonings to the wok and stir fry for 20 seconds.
Lastly, add the cooking wine, scallion greens, and fried tofu to the wok, stir frying for 20-30 more seconds or until the sauce has mostly dried up and the tofu is coated with flavor.
Serve immediately on its own as a snack, or with rice and Express Choy (recipe in the Lion Dance Cafe Cookbook).
*Note from the Chefs
We like things hot, but experiment with fewer dried and fresh chilies to suit your taste.
About the Authors
Lion Dance Cafe is known for their uniquely bold "Authentic, not Traditional" meatless cuisine marrying James Beard semifinalist chefs C-Y Chia and Shane Stanbridge's combined Chinese-Singaporean and Italian heritages.
The Oakland-based duo, also known for their pop up S+M Vegan and food consulting work as Storm Now Creative, is currently publishing their long-awaited Lion Dance Cafe Cookbook: Authentic, not Traditional and preparing to relocate to Singapore.
Salt and Pepper Tofu
This salt and pepper tofu recipe is a long-time secret favorite from Oakland’s own Lion Dance Cafe. Created by James Beard semifinalist chefs C-Y Chia and Shane Stanbridge, this "Authentic, not Traditional" dish is the ultimate go-to snack for gatherings.
Unlike typical deep fried tofu, the key is starting with extra firm tofu and tossing it in a complex blend of tingly Sichuan, musky white, and earthy black peppercorns. This fried salt and pepper tofu delivers an irresistible umami kick that comes together in no time. For more bold, meatless flavors, look for the Lion Dance Cafe Cookbook: Authentic, not Traditional.
Ingredients
- 15oz or 1-2 (10oz) package of Organic Extra Firm Tofu, cut into 1” cubes
- 1 cup cornstarch
- 1 tsp salt
- at least 4 cups of neutral cooking oil for deep frying
- 2 tbsp neutral cooking oil
- 12 Tien Tsin chilies, whole
- 1 tbsp garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp ginger, minced
- 2 tbsp dòuchǐ, aka preserved black beans
- ¼ cup jalapeño, small diced
- ¼ cup Fresno chili, small diced
- ¼ cup celery, small diced
- ¼ cup scallions, white part only, ¼” thick slice
- ½ cup freshly picked Thai basil leaves
- ½ tsp Chinese five spice powder
- 1 tsp toasted, ground red Sichuan peppercorns
- 1 tsp ground white pepper
- 1 /2 tsp finely ground black pepper
- ½ tsp MSG, optional
- ½ tsp Kosher salt
- 2 tsp sugar
- 1 tbsp Shaoxing cooking wine (gf option: sub sherry cooking wine)
- ¼ cup scallion greens, ¼” thick slice
Instructions
- Combine the starch and salt, and gently toss with the tofu to coat. In a countertop fryer or heavy-bottomed pot, heat the frying oil to 350°F. Deep fry the tofu for 4-5 minutes or until crisped, stirring with a metal spoon to stop the pieces from sticking to each other. Drain and set aside.
- Place a wok on high heat, and coat the inside with 2 tbsp oil. Once almost smoking, add the Tientsin chilies, immediately followed by the garlic, ginger, and douchi. Stir fry for 10 seconds, scraping the wok well with a wok spatula to prevent aromatics from sticking and burning. Add the jalapeño, Fresno chili, celery, and scallion whites, and stir fry for 10 more seconds.
- Add the Thai basil and seasonings to the wok and stir fry for 20 seconds.
- Lastly, add the cooking wine, scallion greens, and fried tofu to the wok, stir frying for 20-30 more seconds or until the sauce has mostly dried up and the tofu is coated with flavor.
- Serve immediately on its own as a snack, or with rice and Express Choy (recipe in the Lion Dance Cafe Cookbook).
