Salt and Pepper Tofu Air Fryer Model

Calling all tofu lovers and tofu doubters alike – that you must strive these salt and pepper air-fried tofu! These are a golden crispy sensation, crispy on the skin, tender and moist on the within, and packed filled with flavors from the salt n pepper seasoning and colourful veggies. Plus I made the batter and tofu coating gluten-free as nicely!

Is there a extra prevalent and crowd-pleasing taste combo than salt and pepper? By some means this duo has received the hearts and palates of so many individuals throughout international locations and cultures. This salt and pepper tofu is a basic Chinese language dish that is naturally vegetarian and vegan pleasant, though typically they’re coated in an egg wash, which I changed with a gluten-free chickpea combination that is simply as savory, “eggy”, and pleasantly golden.

And as a substitute of deep frying, which is the standard method, I cooked them within the air fryer and so they turned out simply as crispy with a fraction of the oil. If you do not have an air fryer, you can even oven-bake them or pan-fry them with a skinny layer of oil. 

However earlier than we transfer on to frying and sauteeing, there’s a trick to raised prep the tofu for this recipe. To do away with the surplus water in tofu with out drying them out an excessive amount of, you’ll be able to boil them in salted water! It may appear counterintuitive how is boiling in water going to do away with water however belief me it does! The saltwater will draw the moisture out of tofu, leading to a firmer texture but nonetheless tender and moisture not overly dry.

Watch the video under and observe the steps. Come discover me on Instagram and Tiktok for extra meals and way of life inspo ^^

INGREDIENTS:

16 oz extra-firm or agency tofu

3 mini candy peppers, diced

2-3 garlic cloves, minced

1 scallion, chopped, separate the greens and whites 

Excessive smoke level cooking oil

Water and salt for cooking

For tofu coating –

2 tablespoon chickpea flour

1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder

1/4 teaspoon kala namak, aka black salt

1/4 cup soy milk

1/2 cup arrowroot powder or cornstarch, as wanted

For the salt and pepper seasoning –

1 tablespoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorn, grounded

1/4 teaspoon floor white pepper

TO MAKE:

– Reduce the tofu into cubes of your most well-liked measurement, I minimize the 16 oz block into 12 cubes;

– Carry a pot of water to boil, add 1 teaspoon of salt, gently drop the tofu cubes into the boiling water, cowl, and convey to a boil once more, then let it simmer uncovered for five minutes;

– Drain and place the tofu in a large plate in a single single layer, do not allow them to overcrowd one another;

– In a mixing bowl, whisk collectively the coating elements besides the arrowroot powder, pour over the tofu, gently stir and flip to coat them evenly;

– Add the arrowroot powder in one other plate or bowl, shake off any extra batter on the tofu and drop every dice within the powder, coat each facet evenly;

-Switch onto your air fryer rack or drawer, spray somewhat oil on them, I used avocado oil, and air fry at 400°F for quarter-hour, examine on them, flip if wanted (I do not actually need to flip mine within the air fryer I take advantage of), and add 5 extra minutes in case you’d need it a bit extra golden and crispy;

– Whereas the tofu is frying, prep all of the veggies and spices;

– Floor up the Sichuan peppercorn, and blend evenly with the remainder of the salt and pepper seasoning;

– Chop off the stems of the peppers, minimize them in half lengthwise, do away with the seeds and insides, slice lengthwise into strips, then finely cube them, additionally chop the scallion, separate the white elements and inexperienced leafy elements, and mince the garlic cloves;

– As soon as the tofu is finished frying, in a big nonstick pan, warmth a small drizzle of oil over medium-high warmth, fry off the scallion whites and garlic for about 30 seconds until fragrant;

– Add the diced peppers, sauté for two minutes until simply mushy, then add within the air fried tofu, stir and toss with the veggies, season with about half of the salt and pepper combination, do not use all of it! Reserve the remainder for serving and folks can add extra to their style;

– Sprinkle on the scallion greens, combine them in, flip off the warmth;

– Serve instantly, take pleasure in!