CRISPY TOFU WITH SOY CITRUS GLAZE

Crispy golden tofu cubes coated in a glossy soy citrus glaze, served with rice and garnished with fried curry leaves

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This crispy tofu with soy citrus glaze is packed with bold, punchy flavors. The tofu is inspired by Taiwanese popcorn tofu—lightly coated in a seasoned starch mix with aromatic five spice powder and shallow-fried until golden and crisp. The glaze? Sweet, savory, and bright from citrus. This is paired with steamed rice and extra crisp and flavor from fried curry leaves (optional but totally worth it!).It’s the kind of dish that comes together with simple pantry ingredients but tastes like it came out of a restaurant kitchen.

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Prep Time 20

Cook Time 20

Total Time 40

Course Appetizer, Main Course, Side Dish, Sides, Snack, Snacks

Cuisine Asian, Chinese, Filipino, Fusion, Taiwanese

Servings servings

Calories 356 kcal

Ingredients

TOFU

1 lb extra firm tofu

COATING

6 tbsp corn starch
1/2 tsp five spice powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground white pepper
Neutral oil for frying

CURRY LEAVES

Curry leaves washed and dried
Neutral oil for frying

GLAZE

2-3 tbsp soy sauce adjust to taste
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp calamansi juice or lime juice see notes
3-4 tbsp water adjust to desired consistency

SLURRY

2 tsp corn starch
4 tsp room temperature

TO SERVE

Steamed rice

Instructions

Coat and Fry the Tofu

Pat tofu dry and press if needed to drain any excess moisture. Cut the tofu into 1-inch (2.5 cm) cubes.
In a bowl, combine cornstarch, five spice, salt, and white pepper.
Heat a good layer of neutral oil in a wok or frying pot over medium heat.
Once the oil is hot, toss a batch of tofu in the corn starch mix until well coated.
Don't leave the tofu in the corn starch mixture for too long since the tofu can release more moisture and make the corn starch mix damp.
You may need to do this in a few batches so as not to overcrowd the wok/pot.
Add the tofu in the oil. Shallow-fry the tofu in batches until golden, crispy, and puffed, about 2–3 minutes per side.
Remove and set aside on paper towel then transfer to a wire rack to maintain crispness.

Fry the Curry Leaves (Optional)

In the same pot or wok, heat the oil.
Once hot, add the dry curry leaves carefully—they’ll splatter!
Fry for 10–20 seconds until crisp. Remove from the oil and set aside. I like to place mine on paper towels to absorb any excess oil.

Make the Glaze

In a clean pan or wok, melt vegan butter over medium
Add the shallot and cook until aromatic, around 1 minute.
Pour in the combine soy sauce, brown sugar, and water to combine.
Bring to a simmer until sugar dissolves.
To prepare the slurry, mix together corn starch and water until dissolved.
Over medium low heat, stir in your cornstarch slurry, and simmer until the glaze thickens and turns glossy.
Turn off the heat. Mix in the calamansi or lime juice. Feel free to adjust to taste.

Toss & Serve

You can serve this by pouring the glaze over the crispy tofu OR adding the crispy tofu to the glaze and tossing gently until fully coated. You can also use the glaze as a sauce!
If you’re preparing this beforehand, it’s best to keep the tofu separate from the sauce. You can reheat the fried tofu in an air-fryer at 350F for 4-5 minutes or until crispy.
Serve hot with steamed rice and top with the curry leaves (if using)!

Notes

Notes & Tips

I use calamansi as my citrus for this recipe. Calamansi is a Filipino citrus that's tiny but packs a very big punch and floral citrus note that makes this glaze special. Lime juice works too but if you have access to calamansi juice (fresh is best), then I really recommend you use calamansi juice!
Curry leaves add aromatic depth, but feel free to skip if unavailable. These do add more aroma and texture to the final dish!
To keep tofu crispier longer, serve immediately after glazing OR you can keep the glaze separate and only pour it over the tofu when ready to enjoy. You can also use the glaze as a dip!

NUTRITIONAL INFO

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