Salt and Pepper Tofu with Mango Salad and Forbidden Rice
This dish features crisp Salt and Pepper Tofu paired with a vibrant and fresh mango salad served on a bed of forbidden rice.
Equipment
- large wok
Ingredients
Mango Salad
- 1 ataulfo mango julienne
- 1 red bell pepper julienne
- 1 shallot halved and sliced thin
- 2-3 red chilis sliced thin
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 lime juiced
- 1 tsp sesame oil
Salt and Pepper Tofu
- 1 brick extra firm tofu cut into cubes
- 1 tbsp whole green peppercorns
- ½ cup cornstarch
- 1 tsp salt divided
- neutral oil for frying
For the Bowl
- 3 cups forbidden rice cooked according to the package's direction.
- 2 scallions sliced thin
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro coarsely chopped
Instructions
For the Salad
- Place the mango, pepper, shallots, and chili in a large bowl and toss to evenly disperse all of the ingredients and set aside.
- Place the garlic, fish sauce, honey, lime juice, and sesame oil in a bowl and whisk to combine. Refrigerate the salad and dressing until ready to serve.
For the Tofu
- Once the salad is made, put your rice on and start prepping your tofu.
- Pour the peppercorns into a spice mill or a mortar and pestle and crush until a coarse powder forms.
- In a small bowl, whisk to combine half of the salt and the cornstarch. Place the tofu in a large bowl and add the cornstarch mixture. Add a tablespoon of the pepper and toss until the tofu is thoroughly coated.
- Pour 2" inches of neutral oil into a large wok and heat until shimmering. If you have a thermometer handy, aim for 360°F. But if you don't you can eyeball it. Add a piece of tofu and if the oil immediately reacts, you're good to go.
- Fry the tofu until golden on all sides. About 7 minutes. Transfer the fried tofu to a cooling rack placed on top of a baking sheet. Whisk to combine the remaining salt and pepper and sprinkle the mixture over the freshly fried tofu.
For the Bowls
- Divide the rice across 4 bowls. Add the dressing to the mango salad and toss to coat. Spoon the salad onto the rice and add the salt and pepper tofu. Garnish with scallions and cilantro.