Crispy Tofu with Cashews
Tear, don't cut. Cornstarch crust. The meat-eater's tofu.
9 min active, 30 min total
Timing: 30 min
Crispy Tofu with Cashews
Tear, don't cut. Cornstarch crust. The meat-eater's tofu.
9 min active, 30 min total
Timing: 30 min
Key move
Most people hate tofu because it’s a wet sponge. To fix it, we use two tricks: 1) Tearing the tofu creates rough, craggy edges that catch more oil and crisp up better than smooth cubes. 2) Cornstarch creates a glass-like shatter crust.
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The Setup
- Skillet12-inch
- Cutting Board
- Chef's Knife
The Mise en Place
4Your prep station before cooking begins
Main (0/3)
Coating (0/1)
Tofu stuck to the pan.
Pan wasn't hot enough, or you moved it too soon. Let the crust form before flipping.
Tofu is soggy.
You didn't press the water out, or you overcrowded the pan (steaming).
Chef's Notes
Press tofu for at least 30 mins to remove excess water for maximum crispiness.
Fry tofu in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan, ensuring even browning.
Serve hot over steamed rice or noodles, garnished with fresh cilantro.
Chop vegetables and mix sauce ingredients ahead of time for quicker assembly.
The Method
TEAR
Use your hands to RIP the tofu into 1-inch chunks.
Uneven sizing: Avoid making pieces too small, as they will crumble instead of crisping.
Tofu is torn into roughly 1-inch pieces.
COAT
Toss tofu in cornstarch (2 tbsp) and salt. Shake off excess. Pitfall: Do this immediately before frying. If it sits, the tofu water hydrates the starch and it becomes gummy glue.
Gummy coating: Do not let coated tofu sit; moisture will hydrate the starch and turn it into a gluey paste.
Tofu pieces are evenly coated with cornstarch.
SHALLOW
Heat generous oil in a skillet. FRY tofu on all sides until golden. Remove.
Soggy crust: Flipping too early will tear the cornstarch coating and prevent crisping.
Tofu is golden brown and crispy on all sides.
BLISTER
In the same hot oil, BLISTER the snap peas (8 oz) and cashews (½ cups) for 1 minute.
Burnt nuts: Cashews transition from toasted to burnt very quickly; remove immediately once fragrant.
Snap peas are bright green with some char spots, and cashews are lightly toasted.
TOSS
Toss everything with soy sauce, vinegar, and chili.
Soggy crust: Do not let the tofu sit in the sauce too long or the cornstarch crust will lose its shatter.
All ingredients are well combined and coated with the sauce.
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