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Air fryer salt and pepper tofu

Name: Air fryer salt and pepper tofu
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: Serves 2
Cuisine: Chinese recipes
Ingredients: 3 tsp fine salt; 1 tsp garlic powder; 280g firm tofu, cut into 3cm cubes; 1 tsp ground white pepper; ¼ tsp sichuan peppercorns, crushed to a powder; 1½ tbsp cornflour; 1 tbsp sunflower oil or vegetable oil; 3 spring onions, finely sliced; 1 small red chilli, finely sliced; 1 small green chilli, finely sliced

By: Emily Gussin
Food producer and sustainability lead, delicious.

Published: 17 Feb 25
Updated: 10 Mar 25

A mixture of white pepper and sichuan pepper with red and green chillies gives salt and pepper tofu its special punchy taste. Cooking it in an air fryer gives a crisp coating without the need for lots of oil.

Pumpkin with creamy beans and crispy chickpeas is another plant-based air fryer winner.

Easy
March 2025

Test kitchen approved

Serves 2
Prep time 10 min, plus at least 1 hour brining. Cook time 15 min

Pumpkin with creamy beans and crispy chickpeas is another plant-based air fryer winner.

Nutrition: per serving

Calories: 238kcals
Fat: 13g (1.7g saturated)
Protein: 15g
Carbohydrates: 14g (1.9g sugars)
Fibre: 1.5g
Salt: 3.6g

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Ingredients

3 tsp fine salt
1 tsp garlic powder
280g firm tofu, cut into 3cm cubes
1 tsp ground white pepper
¼ tsp sichuan peppercorns, crushed to a powder
1½ tbsp cornflour
1 tbsp sunflower oil or vegetable oil
3 spring onions, finely sliced
1 small red chilli, finely sliced
1 small green chilli, finely sliced

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Method

Stir 2 tsp of the salt and ½ tsp of the garlic powder into 400ml warm water in a bowl. Add the tofu cubes and leave to soak for at least 1 hour but up to 24 hours. Drain, pat dry, then leave to air dry for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, stir together the remaining 1 tsp salt, the white pepper, sichuan pepper and remaining ½ tsp garlic powder, then set aside. Transfer half this seasoning blend to a large bowl and stir in the cornflour. Toss the tofu with the seasoned cornflour until evenly coated, then toss with the oil.
Heat the air fryer to 200°C and line the basket with baking paper. Arrange the tofu on the paper in a single layer with some space between each piece. Cook for 12-15 minutes, turning halfway, until golden and crisp all over.

Season the tofu with the rest of the seasoning blend, stirring to coat, then sprinkle with the spring onions and chillies. Cook for 2 minutes more, then serve as part of a spread of other Chinese dishes.