Deep fried tofu (豆泡, dou pao) is also called tofu bubbles (豆腐泡, dou fu pao) and oily tofu (油豆腐, you dou fu) in Chinese cooking.
There are two types of deep fried tofu that are often used in Asian cooking.
(1) Chinese deep fried tofu squares (Dou Pao) (see the picture above)
(2) Japanese deep fried tofu pockets (Aburaage)
In both cases, the tofu is deep fried until its surface turns golden and its texture turns fluffy and airy. However, the Japanese type is actually deep fried twice, which results in a more airy and fluffy texture. On Omnivore’s Cookbook, I will refer the Chinese type as “deep fried tofu” and the Japanese type as “aburaage”.
Usage
Both types of deep fried tofu can be used as an alternative to meat and poultry, and turn a meat dish into a vegan one. They taste slightly greasy by themselves and have a meaty texture. They absorb flavor very well and add good mouthfeel to a dish. They are widely used in stir fried dishes, noodle soups, stews, and hot pots.
To get an idea of how to use deep fried tofu, you can refer to the recipes below:
Stir Fried Bok Choy with Crispy Tofu
Buy
You can find packaged deep fried tofu at Asian markets.
Store
Deep fried tofu should be stored in the fridge and consumed as soon as possible. Depending on the packaging method, it stays fresh for 2 to 5 days.
My printer is not working. Do you have a hard copy recipe book?
I don’t have one for now but stay tuned!
I have been looking up your recipes all this day and night and have all kinds of new ideas inspired by you–THANK YOU!! I do not see actual instructions for deep frying the tofu??
This is usually a product you buy and use it in the recipes. You can fry the tofu but the texture will come out different from the packaged stuff.
Hi, Can you tell me where to find tofu puffs to order online?
Thank you.
If your area has Weee! or UmamiCart delivery, you can find it on their websites. It’s called “fried tofu puffs” or “soy puffs”. It’s an item that requires refrigerated or freeze, so you can only order from Asian grocery delivery.