Abura - Age (Deep Fried Tofu)

Deep fried tofu, or abura-age, is used in soups, one pot cookery, noodle dishes, and in many other ways. It can also be delicious all by itself as a topping on a bowl of rice (domburi). Deep fried tofu can be purchased at most Asian food stores, but it is easily made at home, and all that you'll need is a wok for the deep frying and a colander for rinsing and draining. Deep fried until crisp and golden brown on the outside, abura-aga is amazingly white and soft on the inside! Preparation time includes pressing time.

• Ready In: 1 hr 20 mins
• Serves: 2

Ingredients

• 1 (250 g) package  of regular firm tofu
• 600  ml  vegetable oil

Directions

1. Remove the excess moisture from the block of tofu by wrapping it in a clean towel and placing it between 2 cutting boards, let stand for an hour or two.
2. Now cut the tofu block into triangle shapes, about two inches long.
3. Pour the oil into the wok and heat, when you dip a chopstick into the heated oil and bubbles rise from it the oil is ready for use.
4. If the oil smokes it is too hot.
5. Using the wok's spatula, slide the tofu triangles one at a time into the hot oil.
6. Fry on both sides until golden brown.
7. Scoop the triangles out of the wok and allow them to drain on the wok's draining grill (or place on paper towels).
8. Once the triangles are drained and cool, it's a good idea to give them a second deep frying.
9. This deepens their golden color and makes them nice and crisp.
10. Place once again on the grill to drain and cool.
11. The final step requires that you place the fried tofu triangles in a colander and run very hot water over them. I put the colander in the sink and allow the hot water from the faucet to run over the tofu, while I simultaneously pour boiling water from a pot over the triangles. This hot water bath completely leeches all remnants of oil from the tofu, resulting in tofu that you would never imagine as having been deep fried.
12. Pat dry the tofu and serve with rice or noodles and a little shoyu, or use the fried tofu in another recipe.