My favorite tofu dish
Recipe #57: wok-ta (tower) tofu

Whenever I went to a Chinese restaurant, I would always order wok-ta tofu, if it were available. After it is friend, the tofu is stakced like a tower, hence its name.

However, it is hard to actually stack the tofu; it is usually laid out in a plate when served. Thus, it is rarely called "tower" tofu.

The standard method is to cover the tofu with a layer of flour, and then beaten egg, before frying. Thus, the tofu has a delicious skin and a tender center. Since we tend to avoid friend foods, my mother has devised a version of this recipe that does not involve frying. The finished product has a different texture, but is equally delicious.

My mother prefers to include a few hot dishes at parties, and wok-ta tofu would be one of them. In many cases, the dish would be gone before my mother has finished cooking the other ones!

Ingredients

1. 1 carton of firm tofu (1 lb.)
2. 1 egg, beaten
3. 1 green onion, chopped
4. 2 Tbsp. soy sauce
5. 1 Tbsp. oil

Directions

1. Cut tofu horizontally into two halves. Cut each half into 1 cm-thickness. Each piece should be about 1.5" x 1.5" x 1 cm.
2. Heat oil in a large skillet and dip tofu into egg mixture, ensuring that each piece is completely covered. When oil is warm, arrange tofu pieces in skillet, covering the skillet completely. Cook on medium high heat.
3. After you have finished arranging the tofu, the bottom half should be golden. Flip each piece using a spatula. At this point, add some soy sauce, making sure that each piece has some sauce on it.
4. Flip each piece again. Add the other half Tbsp. soy sauce. Add onion.
5. Flip each piece yet again. Turn off heat.
6. Move to plate and serve.

Tips

1. If you're not sure how to cut the tofu, refer to the above picture.
2. Different brands of soy sauce have varying levels of saltiness, so you will have to adjust accordingly.