Salt and Pepper Tofu (椒盐豆腐)

Step 1

To marinate the tofu: Combine the garlic powder, ginger powder, brown sugar, and salt in a big bowl. Stir to mix well. Gently pat the tofu dry with kitchen paper towels. Then add it to the spice bowl and gently mix with a spatula. Pour in the peanut oil and Shaoxing wine. Stir again to mix well. Marinate while preparing other ingredients.

Step 2

For the spice mix: Combine the ingredients for the spice mix in a small bowl and stir to mix well.

Step 3

To cook the tofu: When you’re ready to cook, Add the cornstarch to the bowl of tofu, 1 tablespoon at a time, and gently mix until the tofu is evenly coated with a thick coating.

Step 4

Add the oil to a medium-sized skillet, enough to coat the bottom of the pan. Heat over medium-high heat until hot. Add the tofu carefully without overlapping. Cook the tofu until the bottom turns golden brown, 3 minutes. Flip to brown the other sides, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Turn to medium heat if the pan starts to smoke too much. You can stop the cooking once most sides have turned golden and there’s no raw starch left on the surface. But you can also continue browning the tofu a bit more if you like a crunchier texture. Transfer the cooked tofu to a large plate.

Step 5

While the tofu is still hot, sprinkle about half of the spice mix onto it and gently toss it with a pair of tongs. Adjust the taste by adding more spice mix if needed.

Step 6

Serve hot or at room temperature as an appetizer with the remaining spice mix on the side for dipping. Garnish with sliced chili pepper if desired.