Main Course
Black Pepper Tofu
Original recipe by:
Yotam Ottolenghi, Epicurious
Ingredients
1 3/4 Lbs. firm tofu
Vegetable oil for frying
Cornstarch to dust the tofu
11 Tablespoons butter
12 small shallots (12 ounces in total), thinly sliced
8 Fresh red chiles (fairly mild ones), thinly sliced
12 Garlic cloves, crushed
3 Tablespoons chopped fresh ginger
3 Tablespoons sweet soy sauce (kecap manis)
3 Tablespoons light soy sauce
4 Teaspoons dark soy sauce
2 Tablespoons sugar
5 Tablespoons coarsely crushed black peppercorns (use a mortar and pestle or a spice grinder)
16 Small and thin green onions, cut into 1 1/4-inch segments
Instructions
Start with the tofu. Pour enough oil into a large frying pan or wok to come 1/4 inch up the sides and heat. Cut the tofu into large cubes, about 1x1 inch. Toss them in some cornstarch and shake off the excess, then add to the hot oil. (You'll need to fry the tofu pieces in a few batches so they don't stew in the pan.) Fry, turning them around as you go, until they are golden all over and have a thin crust. As they are cooked, transfer them onto paper towels.
Note: You will definitely surprise yourself with this one. It is an extremely delicious dish that's quick and straightforward to make, but looks as if it's been prepared at a top Chinese restaurant. It is fiery, both from the chiles and the black pepper; you can moderate this by reducing their quantity a little.
However, the whole point is spiciness so don't go too far.
YIELD: Serves 4