For this recipe you’ll need:

For the tofu:

•250gr firm tofu •3tbsp cornstarch •2tsp paprika powder •1tsp cayenne pepper •1tsp onion powder •1/2tsp salt •1/4tsp pepper •oil for frying

For the sauce:

•50ml lime juice (from about 2 small limes) •2tbsp soy sauce •1tbsp oil •3tsp red chili pepper •2 garlic cloves •2tbsp sugar •2tbsp vinegar •100ml water •1tsp paprika powder •1 1/2 tbsp cornstarch + 1 1/2 tbsp water

Start by pressing your tofu. I don’t own a tofu press myself so I cut my tofu into cubes first and then press between a towel with a cutting board and heavy pan on top. Cutting the tofu first helps with getting way more water out of it instead of pressing the whole block like this. The more water you get out of the tofu, the better the bite will be. Press the tofu for about 30 minutes. While the tofu is pressing, mix the cornstarch with the herbs. Add the pressed tofu to a bowl and add the cornstarch mixture. Mix carefully until all the tofu is coated.

Heat some oil in a pan (just enough to cover the bottom of your pan). I used just normal vegetable oil for this. You can test if the oil is hot enough by adding a piece of tofu in it. If bubbles form around the tofu, the oil is hot enough and you can add the rest of the pieces (see video to see what I mean). Fry the tofu pieces for about 5 minutes on each side ( medium heat) so 10 minutes in total. When they are done, carefully remove them from the oil and let them leak out on a bit of kitchen paper towel. The tofu is super crispy on the outside and would already be amazing to eat like this but we’ll also make a sauce to go with it.

For the sauce add the oil, the minced garlic and the chili pepper in a pan and cook for about 2 minutes. Then add the rest of the ingredients except the cornstarch and bring to a boil. I mixed the cornstarch with water before adding it to the sauce to prevent lumps. Once the sauce is boiling, turn down the heat and add the cornstarch mixture to it. Mix this in immediately with the other hand while pouring it in or you will get lumps (grab a whisk if this happens. just whisk for a few minutes and lumps will dissapear). Cook the sauce for about a minute until yiu get a thick consistency. Add the tofu to the sauce and mix. The tofu does loses some of it’s crispiness in the sauce so mix the two right before eating it. Serve with some rice and veggies or noodles. Enjoy!