Crispy Pan-Fried Tofu with Savory Sauce
By jackTao / Oct 6, 2025 / 25 min
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Ingredients
Serving size
Main Ingredients
- 1 block firm tofu (old tofu/lao doufu)
- 2 eggs
Coating
- 50 g cornstarch (for coating)
- 18 ml cooking oil
Sauce
- 20 g light soy sauce
- 10 g oyster sauce
- 5 g dark soy sauce
- 10 g sugar
- 10 g cornstarch (for sauce)
- 200 ml water
Instructions
- 1
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Step 1 of 4
Prepare Ingredients
- Beat 2 eggs per block of tofu in a bowl to make egg wash. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, mix the sauce: 20g light soy sauce, 10g oyster sauce, 5g dark soy sauce, 10g sugar, 10g cornstarch, and 200ml water. Whisk until sugar and cornstarch dissolve. Set aside.
- Cut firm tofu into slices about 1.2cm thick (approximately 5 slices per person).
- Prepare Ingredients
- Beat 2 eggs per block of tofu in a bowl to make egg wash. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, mix the sauce: 20g light soy sauce, 10g oyster sauce, 5g dark soy sauce, 10g sugar, 10g cornstarch, and 200ml water. Whisk until sugar and cornstarch dissolve. Set aside.
- Cut firm tofu into slices about 1.2cm thick (approximately 5 slices per person).
- Coat the Tofu
- Pour 50g cornstarch per tofu block onto a plate.
- Coat each tofu slice with cornstarch on all sides, shaking off excess.
- Dip the cornstarch-coated tofu into the egg wash, ensuring it's fully covered.
- Set coated tofu slices aside on a clean plate.
- Pan-Fry the Tofu
- Heat a flat-bottomed pan over medium heat. Add 18ml cooking oil.
- Wait 10 seconds for the oil to heat up.
- Carefully place the egg-coated tofu slices in the pan in a single layer.
- Reduce heat to low. Pan-fry until the bottom turns golden brown, about 3-4 minutes.
- Flip each slice and continue frying until both sides are golden and crispy.
- Add Sauce and Finish
- Once both sides are golden brown, pour the prepared sauce over the tofu.
- Gently shake the pan to ensure each piece is coated with sauce.
- Increase heat to high and cook for 3 minutes, allowing the sauce to thicken and coat the tofu.
- Turn off heat and serve immediately.
Notes
- Use firm tofu (老豆腐/lao doufu) for best results. Soft or silken tofu will break apart during cooking.
- Make sure to shake off excess cornstarch before dipping in egg wash to prevent clumping.
- The key to crispy tofu is maintaining low heat during frying. High heat will burn the coating before the tofu is cooked through.
- If cooking for more people, multiply ingredients proportionally: 1.25 blocks of tofu per person is recommended.
- For extra servings: use 2 eggs per block of tofu and 50g cornstarch per block.
- The sauce should be mixed well before adding to ensure the cornstarch doesn't clump when heated.
- Don't overcrowd the pan - work in batches if necessary to ensure even browning.
- Serve immediately while hot and crispy for the best texture and flavor.
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