How to Make the Crispiest Popcorn Tofu – Asian Night Market Style
If you’ve ever wandered through an Asian night market, you must know the famous Taiwanese popcorn chicken. But how about popcorn tofu? It has a magical crispy, golden-brown shell, but the inside is so tender. To me, it is one of the best plant-based snacks you can enjoy, and it goes well with literally any sauce — this is the beauty of tofu!
Make sure you try one the next time you come across it. Or try this popcorn tofu recipe for a great experience. Maybe it will become your new favorite!
What Tofu to Use and How to Treat It
I recommend extra firm tofu for popcorn tofu because it holds its shape well and doesn’t fall apart during frying. Cut the tofu into ½-inch cubes. Make sure to soak them in a hot water and salt mixture (2 cups hot water + 1 tbsp salt) for 15 minutes. This helps remove the raw soybean taste, prevents breakage while cooking, and enhances flavor.
After draining, soak the tofu in another mixture of 1 tsp baking powder, ¼ cup cornstarch, ¼ cup water, and 2 tbsp all-purpose flour for 5 minutes. This step helps the tofu stick to the dry coating better and makes the result 外酥里嫩—crispy outside, tender inside.
How to Make the Crispiest Shell?
Coating!
Use sweet potato starch and flour in a 1:1 ratio to coat the drained tofu cubes. The starch and flour will absorb moisture from the tofu’s surface and coat it beautifully. Shake off any excess flour, and they’re ready to be deep-fried!
Special Frying Method
I fry the tofu three times for maximum crispiness.
- Heat the oil to 175°C (350°F).
- Drop the tofu into the oil one piece at a time.
- Keep the heat at medium-low and fry for 2 minutes. Drain.
- Bring the oil back to 175°C (350°F) and fry for another 2 minutes.
- Repeat one more time, frying three times in total. This step ensures all moisture is fried out and creates an ultra-crispy texture.
You’ll know it’s done when you shake your strainer and hear that beautiful crispy sound.
Why fry at a lower temperature multiple times?
If tofu is fried at a very high temperature (like 390°F), the outer shell hardens too quickly, trapping steam inside. When the moisture inside expands, the tofu can explode in the oil. Frying at a lower temperature multiple times prevents this while achieving the crispiest texture.
How to Enjoy Popcorn Tofu
Since tofu has a mild taste, it pairs perfectly with any dipping sauce. Here are some of my personal favorites:
✔️ Garlic Salt – Fry some minced garlic with a pinch of salt until golden brown. Sprinkle over the tofu right after frying.
✔️ Sichuan-Style – Sprinkle on chili powder or flakes, a bit of salt, and chopped green onion.
✔️ Sweet Chili Sauce, Sweet & Sour Sauce, or Ketchup – Classic and delicious options.
✔️ Sichuan Spicy Garlic Sauce – Use the same spicy garlic sauce from my cold chicken noodles recipe.
Storage and Reheating
If you happen to have leftover popcorn tofu — though I usually don’t because my family loves them so much XD. Store them in the fridge and reheat in an air fryer at 350°F for 5-7 minutes until the shell is crunchy again.
Now you have the perfect recipe to bring night market flavors to your kitchen! Try it out and let me know your favorite way to enjoy crispy popcorn tofu. 🍽️✨ What sauce would you pair it with? Let me know in the comments!
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Crispy Popcorn Tofu
Ingredients
- 1 block extra firm tofu 400g
- cooking oil for frying
First time soaking:
- 2 cups hot water
- 1 tbsp salt
Second time soaking
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- 2 cups water
Coating
- 100 g all-purpose flour
- 100 g sweet potato starch
- ½ tsp salt
Instructions
- Prepare the tofu: Cut into ½-inch cubes and soak in hot salted water for 15 minutes. Drain well.
- 2nd time soaking: Mix baking powder, cornstarch, flour, and water. Soak tofu in this mixture for 5 minutes.
- Dry coating: Mix together sweet potato starch, flour (1:1 ratio) and salt. Coat tofu evenly and shaking off excess.
- First fry: Heat oil to 175°C (350°F). Fry tofu at medium-low heat for 2 minutes. Drain.
- Second fry: Bring the oil back to 175°C (350°F) and fry for another 2 minutes.
- Third fry: Repeat the frying process once more to make it extra crispy.
- Serve immediately with your favorite dipping sauce!
