Crispy Sweet and Spicy Kkanpung Dubu (Spicy Garlic Fried Tofu)
A one-plate dish of crispy pan-fried tofu coated in potato starch and tossed in a sweet and spicy sauce.
Translated from Korean by AI and not yet checked by a native speaker. Amounts and numbers are taken directly from the original recipe. Read the Korean original →
This one-plate specialty features tofu pan-fried until crispy like deep-fried tofu, then tossed in a sweet and spicy kkanpung sauce. Crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, it works wonderfully as a side dish for rice, as well as a bar snack or a casual bite. It is a great way to stimulate your appetite with accessible ingredients.
- Servings
- 4 servings
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Spiciness
- Mildly spicy
Ingredients
Ingredients
- Tofu1 pack, 340 g
- Onion1/4
- Cheongyang chili pepper (hot green chili)1
- Red chili pepper1
- Large green onion (daepa)a little
- Potato starch6 tbsp
- Chili oil2 tbsp
- Minced garlic1 tbsp
Sauce
- Regular soy sauce (jin-ganjang)1 tbsp
- Oyster sauce1 tbsp
- Mirin (cooking rice wine)1 tbsp
- Vinegar1 tbsp
- Green plum syrup (maesil-cheong) (or corn syrup (mulyeot), oligosaccharide syrup (oligodang))1 tbsp
- Water3 tbsp
- Ground black peppera little
- Salta little
- Toasted sesame oil1/2 tbsp
- Toasted sesame seedsa little
- Cut the tofu into cubes of around 1.5 cm, sprinkle a little salt all over, and let it sit for about 30 minutes to season.
- Instead of chili peppers, you can substitute mild bell pepper, sweet mini peppers, or carrot.
- If you do not have oyster sauce, substitute regular soy sauce (jin-ganjang).
Steps
1. This is 1 block of packaged tofu.
2. Cut into cubes of around 1.5 cm, sprinkle a little salt all over, and let sit for about 30 minutes to season,
then pat dry with paper towels to remove the moisture. If too much moisture remains, too much potato starch will stick.
3. Finely chop all the vegetables.
Instead of chili peppers, you can substitute mild bell pepper, sweet mini peppers, or carrot.
4. Mix the sauce ingredients together according to the measurements, excluding the toasted sesame oil, salt, and toasted sesame seeds.
If you do not have oyster sauce, substitute regular soy sauce (jin-ganjang).
5. If you place the potato starch and seasoned tofu together in a plastic bag, hold the opening tightly, and shake,
you can conveniently coat them evenly with starch.
6. Heat a generous amount of oil in a heated pan and pan-fry the tofu on both sides until crispy as if fried, then drain on a strainer to remove excess oil.
Originally it should be deep-fried, but since that is cumbersome, just adding a generous amount of oil and cooking it like this makes it plenty crispy.
7. Now make the sauce to coat the tofu.
Heat 2 tbsp of chili oil in a heated pan, add the minced garlic, onion, chili peppers, and large green onion (daepa), and stir-fry briskly.
If you want to make chili oil, go here ⇒ http://blog.naver.com/ppunwife/140040800941
8. Once the vegetables have wilted, pour in the sauce mixture...
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9. Simmer gently for 1-2 minutes, taste, and if it is too bland, adjust with salt.
You may also add vinegar or sugar to your taste.
10. Add the tofu along with the toasted sesame oil and toasted sesame seeds, then toss so the sauce coats everything evenly.
Ppunwife's tips
- Pat dry with paper towels to remove the moisture. If too much moisture remains, too much potato starch will stick.
- If you place the potato starch and seasoned tofu together in a plastic bag, hold the opening tightly, and shake, you can conveniently coat them evenly with starch.
- Originally it should be deep-fried, but since that is cumbersome, just adding a generous amount of oil and cooking it like this makes it plenty crispy.
FAQ
What ingredients can I use instead of chili peppers if I cannot eat spicy food well?
Instead of chili peppers, you can finely chop and add mild bell pepper, sweet mini peppers, or carrot.
What should I do if I do not have oyster sauce for the sauce?
If you do not have oyster sauce, you can substitute regular soy sauce (jin-ganjang).
Is there an easy way to coat the tofu with potato starch without it clumping?
If you place the potato starch and seasoned tofu in a plastic bag, close the opening, and shake it, you can coat them easily and evenly.
Does it still get a crispy texture if I pan-fry it instead of deep-frying in oil?
If you add a generous amount of oil to a heated pan and pan-fry the tofu on both sides, it will achieve a sufficiently crispy texture.
