Ingredients

• 60ml (1/4 cup) light soy sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
• 2 teaspoons rice vinegar
• 2 teaspoons caster sugar
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 spring onion, white part only, thinly sliced
• 530g packet firm tofu (see note)
• 100g (2/3 cup) plain flour
• Vegetable or peanut oil, to shallow-fry
• 1/2 bunch coriander, leaves picked
• 1/2 red bird's-eye chilli, seeded, finely chopped
• 20g salted roasted peanuts, roughly chopped

Method

• Step 1 Whisk soy sauce, sesame oil, vinegar, sugar and garlic in a small bowl, then stir in spring onion.
• Step 2 Cut tofu into 5cm squares, then cut in half horizontally to form 2cm-thick slices. Place flour in a shallow dish. Working with 1 tofu piece at a time, dust with flour. Season with salt and pepper.
• Step 3 Heat 1cm oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Cook tofu, in 2 batches, for 1 minute each side or until crisp and golden, then drain on paper towel.
• Step 4 Place tofu, overlapping, on a platter. Drizzle over half the dressing, scatter with coriander leaves, chilli and peanuts, then serve with remaining dressing in a small bowl for dipping.