Flash Fried Tofu with Lemon and Szechuan Pepper and Salt

This is adapted from a recipe from Kylie Kwong, a chef, cookbook author and TV host who makes the most delicious authentic Chinese food. Her cookbook Simple Chinese Cooking is a must for anyone wanting to venture into Chinese food that is true to the culture. And with so many Asian markets in Bloomington, all the ingredients are easy to find. I typically ask for help finding some of the more unique ingredients, but they are there...somewhere in the store.

Silken tofu make this dish amazing. The outside is salty and crunchy and the inside is mild and creamy.

Szechuan pepper is a mainstay in Kylie's ingredient list. They come in a bag, last forever, and add a wonderful and unique pepper taste with a mild numbing effect that is sensational. For Szechuan Pepper and Salt, simply heat the whole szechuan pepper corns in a dry pan until they start to brown and smoke. Then crush them in a mortar and pestle and add the same amount of salt as pepper. This is the perfect thing to sprinkle over this dish or any Asian inspired dish before serving to add a unique burst of flavor.

Flash Fried Tofu with Lemon and Szechuan Pepper and Salt

• 1 package silken tofu
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1 lemon
• vegetable oil (canola or grape seed)
• szechuan pepper and salt

Silken tofu is very delicate, so you have to handle it very carefully. Cut open the package and drain as much of the liquid off as possible. Then place the block of tofu in a dish towel or several layers of paper towel to continue to drain. You will need to change the towels twice as they become saturated. This will take 15 minutes.
While the tofu is draining, put 2 inches of oil into a wok or deep sauce pan and heat over high heat to 350 degrees or when the top of the oil is shimmering.
Unwrap the tofu carefully. The cut the block in half through the waist horizontally. Then cut into 1 inch cubes. Put the flour in a shallow bowl and put the cubes of tofu into the bowl and carefully toss to cover completely with flour (don't worry if a few of the cubes fall apart). You will want to make sure the oil is hot before you do this step as the tofu should not sit in the flour for more than a minute.
Then carefully drop one of the small pieces of tofu into the oil. It should sizzle on contact. If it does, carefully drop the tofu, piece by piece, into the oil. Let them fry for a minute or two, then carefully turn them over. Let them fry, turning every minutes or so, for about 5 minutes or until golden brown. By now they will not be so delicate to handle.
Remove the tofu from the oil and put on paper towels to drain. Cut the lemon in half and drizzle lemon juice from half the lemon over the tofu. Then sprinkle liberally with szechuan pepper and salt. Serve immediately.
This is excellent with a quick vegetable stir fry made right before preparing the tofu in the same wok.