FRIED TOFU WITH PAJEON SAUCE — The Kitchen Scholar

SOURCE: HOONI KIM AND AKI KAMOZAWA. MY KOREA: TRADITIONAL FLAVORS, MODERN RECIPES.

Due to their high water content smoothly glossing their body, soft and silken *tofu* are just as delicate and creamy as a fresh *burrata* cheese. By deploying this logical simile to culinary context, these *tofu* types can also qualify for deep-frying so the bean curd fritters end up paralleling fried *mozzarella* sticks in terms of the molten and gooey texture of the interior. Unlike cheese, however, time is of the essence upon serving fried *tofu*, or else any slight wait from consuming them at their best can ruin the tasting experience with the irreparable sogginess within several minutes.

Ingredients

Canola oil for deep frying

**Crispy Tempura Flakes**

1/2 cup/120 mL cold water

1 teaspoon/5 mL lightly beaten egg yolk

1 tablespoon/8 grams tempura flour

Fried Tofu

1 cup/190 grams potato starch

5.5 ounces/150 grams soft OR silken tofu, cut equally into 6 2-inch/5-cm × 1-inch/2.5-cm × 1-inch/2.5-cm rectangles

2 tablespoons/30 mL Pajeon Sauce

Toasted sesame oil for drizzling

Thinly sliced scallions OR finely chopped chives for garnish

1 red Korean chili pepper, thinly sliced into slivers or thin rounds for garnish

Specific Equipment

Deep-fat fryer OR deep-bottomed pot equipped with a thermometer

Wire whisk

Small bowl

Measuring cup equipped with a spout OR small pitcher

Slotted spoon

Plate lined with paper towels

Deep tray

Wire rack

Sheet pan

Serves 2

Instructions

1. Pour the oil into a deep-fat fryer or deep-bottomed pot equipped with a thermometer. Set over medium-high heat at 360°F/180°C.

2. Whisk the water and egg yolk in a small bowl until well-blended. Whisk in the tempura flour until it has completely dissolved. Transfer the batter to a measuring cup equipped with a spout or small pitcher.

3. Hold the measuring cup or pitcher about 1 foot/30.5 cm above the oil. Drizzle the batter slowly and carefully into the oil. Fry for 30 seconds or until small irregular flakes have formed. Remove the flakes with a slotted spoon and set aside on a plate lined with paper towels to drain and cool.

4. Roll 3 pieces of tofu in a deep tray of potato starch, coating each rectangle completely. Let the tofu sit for 30 seconds so the starch absorbs the water released by the tofu and forms a protective skin that will hold the tofu during frying. Dredge off excess starch from each piece. Lower the tofu carefully into the oil and fry for 2 minutes or until they have turned golden brown and have floated to the top of the oil. Remove the tofu from the oil and drain them over a rack set on a sheet pan. Repeat this step with the remaining tofu pieces.

5. Place 3 pieces of fried tofu on each dining plate. Spoon 1 teaspoon/5 mL Pajeon Sauce over each tofu. Drizzle over a few drops of toasted sesame oil. Sprinkle the fried tempura flakes and scallions or chives over the entire plate and garnish each tofu piece with a slice of Korean chili on top before serving.