Deep fried tofu (豆泡, dou pao) is also called tofu bubbles (豆腐泡, dou fu pao) and oily tofu (油豆腐, you dou fu) in Chinese cooking.
There are two types of deep fried tofu that are often used in Asian cooking.
(1) Chinese deep fried tofu squares (Dou Pao) (see the picture above)
(2) Japanese deep fried tofu pockets (Aburaage)
In both cases, the tofu is deep fried until its surface turns golden and its texture turns fluffy and airy. However, the Japanese type is actually deep fried twice, which results in a more airy and fluffy texture. On Omnivore’s Cookbook, I will refer the Chinese type as “deep fried tofu” and the Japanese type as “aburaage”.
Usage
Both types of deep fried tofu can be used as an alternative to meat and poultry, and turn a meat dish into a vegan one. They taste slightly greasy by themselves and have a meaty texture. They absorb flavor very well and add good mouthfeel to a dish. They are widely used in stir fried dishes, noodle soups, stews, and hot pots.
To get an idea of how to use deep fried tofu, you can refer to the recipes below:
Stir Fried Bok Choy with Crispy Tofu
Buy
You can find packaged deep fried tofu at Asian markets.
Store
Deep fried tofu should be stored in the fridge and consumed as soon as possible. Depending on the packaging method, it stays fresh for 2 to 5 days.
Anne
I have your awesome book in which you describe how to make a no-fry, oven-baked version of these puffs. I made them tonight, but they are so tiny, compared to the store-bought ones in your pictures. Was there a typo in the book? Or are we really meant to cut the tofu into 1cm / 0.5″ cubes?
Maggie Zhu
The based version creates fried tofu that can be used in recipes call for this product, but unfortunately it’s quite difficult to replicate the same result since these tofu puffs are produced in a different process. For the baked version, the tofu does lose a lot of moisture and will become quite small, which makes them crispy and crunchy. You can cut them slightly larger but I prefer the texture of the smaller ones. Even if you cut them into larger pieces, the baked result will still be different from commercially produced product.
[email protected]
Hi, Can you tell me where to find tofu puffs to order online?
Thank you.
Maggie Zhu
If your area has Weee! or UmamiCart delivery, you can find it on their websites. It’s called “fried tofu puffs” or “soy puffs”. It’s an item that requires refrigerated or freeze, so you can only order from Asian grocery delivery.
Gerin Moblo
I have been looking up your recipes all this day and night and have all kinds of new ideas inspired by you–THANK YOU!! I do not see actual instructions for deep frying the tofu??
Maggie Zhu
This is usually a product you buy and use it in the recipes. You can fry the tofu but the texture will come out different from the packaged stuff.
Gloria Schaffer
My printer is not working. Do you have a hard copy recipe book?
Maggie Zhu
I don’t have one for now but stay tuned!