Silken Tofu with Salted Egg Yolk Sauce

Step 1

Slice the tofu block into smaller pieces about 1-inch thick, then wrap/place them in several layers of paper towel. Place a moderately heavy object on top to drain out excess water for about 15 minutes. Be careful, if the object is too heavy, it may break the tofu.

Step 2

While draining out water from the tofu, place the salted duck eggs in a small pot and cover with water. Bring it to a boil and then slightly reduce the heat and boil for another 10 minutes.

Step 3

Rinse the eggs under cold water, then peel and discard the whites. Use a fork to mash the salted egg yolks finely, or use a spoon and press them against a sieve (mesh strainer).

Step 4

In a shallow plate, mix together potato starch, all purpose flour, baking powder and ¼ teaspoon of salt. Heat a generous amount of oil to 300-320ºF (150-160ºC) in a deep fryer or medium saucepan. Pat dry and then coat each tofu piece with the flour mixture, shaking off excess flour and immediately deep fry for about 3 minutes until they turn lightly golden.

Step 5

Remove the tofu and let cool slightly on a plate lined with paper towel or a wired rack. After a few minutes, bring the oil to 355ºF (180ºC) and deep fry the tofu the second time. This time, fry for about 1-1½ minutes until the tofu is golden and crispy. Remove the tofu to a plate lined with paper towel or a wired rack.

Step 6

Heat a deep pan over medium heat (I recommend doing this after the first fry in Step 4, while waiting for a few minutes before frying the second time in Step 5). Add some oil and once the oil is hot, add minced garlic and sauté for a few seconds until fragrant. Add the mashed salted egg yolk and ¼ teaspoon of salt (to taste). Stir and break up the egg yolk pieces and let it absorb the oil. When it starts to look like a thick foamy sauce, adjust the heat to low and add butter. Stir to melt the butter and form a creamy sauce. This shouldn't take long, otherwise, the sauce may separate.

Step 7

Immediately add the fried tofu pieces to the pan and quickly but gently shake the pan or use a wooden spoon to move the tofu pieces around and coat them with the sauce. Transfer to a serving plate and serve right away.