How to Make Tofu as Crispy as at Your Favorite Restaurant
Have you ever had an amazing tofu dish at a restaurant—bean curd and broccoli from an Americanized Chinese food joint, or green curry with tofu at a Thai place, or a mouthwatering tofu bánh mì—and tried to replicate it at home? I have, with mixed results. It turns out you can’t just throw tofu into an oiled skillet and expect it to turn out crispy on the outside, crispy on the inside, and all-around delicious.
To make tofu like that (i.e. good tofu) you need to take a few extra steps. Watch the video above to learn how to make perfect tofu for stir-fries, curries, or sandwiches—or just for snacking with a sprinkle of salt or a drizzle of sriracha.
30 Responses to “How to Make Tofu as Crispy as at Your Favorite Restaurant”
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Clarification please, you freeze then fry while still frozen or you freeze
and thaw it then fry It? 
+jeff belli slack 1:11
+Vian Esterhuizen thanks, yes got the heads up a few weeks back; this post
is from January.
She said let it thaw then fry. 
It’s burnt ?
+HighOffMakeup The woman in the video has no idea what she is doing.
I’m going to try this, because I can never get my tofu to brown up.
HOWEVER, I get Szechuan tofu at my local Chinese restaurant quite a bit,
and I watch them cook the meal. They take the tofu straight out of the
package, and put it in the wok. So, the stuff you said about the ice
crystals might be true, but freezing the tofu isn’t exactly how Chinese
restaurants can brown up tofu.
+daksmom1999
*Deep frying tofu right out the package in high heat definitely creates the
crunchy crust on the tofu that you associate with restaurant tofu but
freezing the tofu allows the water to separate from the protein bonds in
the tofu creating a sponge like texture in the tofu that (quite literally)
allows you to squeeze out the water from the tofu once it’s been defrosted.
It also solves that annoying problem you get when you deep fry tofu right
out the package and the middle remains soft and mushy. As a final tip
frozen then defrosted and pressed tofu keeps it’s shape very well while
frying and absorbs marinades much better.*
Happy cooking friend!
thx awesome!
they deep fry it in restaurants. Thats why it’s better
+thrd i Nvgtr I was about to say that hehe There’s then electric pans that
you can get with a temperature dial and you can deep fry in it and use a
metal basket so all you have to do is lift them out. All you have to do is
make sure they don’t stick to each other or the sides of the pan. ^_^
+thrd i Nvgtr But it needs a light pan fry first, otherwise, because of
the moisture content, it explodes upon touching the high heat of the deep
frying oil. Basically, the pan frying puts a skin on the tofu, which
retains the moisture inside, and also holds it together.
deep fried, not pan fried in restaurants. that’s the “technique”
Impressive. Thank you :)
No seasonings? That tofu looks so bland.
+NERDY Rena
*Try:* *Soy Sauce, Tahini, Marmite, Sauerkraut Juice, grated garlic, onion
& ginger, guava paste, and cilantro* (processed into a smooth thick sauce)
*Let marinate defrosted and pressed tofu for 1 week. Then stir fry in olive
oil and reduced (concentrated) vegetable broth.* Serve with heat wilted
baby kale, spinach and red peppers.
+NERDY Rena The seasoning goes on after. The oil also gives it flavour.
Mind you, in saying that, I like fried tofu with just a touch of sweet soy
sauce, all by it self. I can eat a whole big plateful of it.
Finally found the video I needed! thank you and love your natural curly
hair!
She’s old enough to be my mom but i’d definitely spend an evening with her
that would very tasteless
Thanks for the recipe! I love crispy on the outside tofu!!! Thanks!!!
what kind of oil is that?
+Lecia Hutz Grapeseed I would think. Canola or peanut oil would work too.
Do NOT use olive oil… it burns on high heat. : )
+Michal A. Kessler Thank you doll!
You’re so welcome – Bon Appetit!
+Michal A. Kessler also avocado oil
*IDIOT !!!!!!!!!!!* Better to DEEP FRY. This method will completely soak
your tofu in oil like wet sponge!!!!!
SEASONED AND DEEP FRY. Mmmmmmmm
Interesting. All the directions I’ve seen say to freeze it first then
press. Never liked the results and gave up even trying to eat tofu. Will
have to try your method.
it surely is about technique, #tofumaster