Beautiful Tofu Pancakes with Heartfelt Effort
Making Tofu Pancakes: Perfect for Side Dishes or as a Special Bento Box Item for White Day
Here’s a recipe for tofu pancakes that are incredibly simple, perfect for everyday side dishes, and can be made extra beautiful with just a little extra care. These lovingly prepared tofu pancakes are sure to delight anyone who receives them, especially as a bento box treat.
Main Ingredients
- 200g Tofu
- 1 Red Chili
- A little Chives or Scallions
- 1 Egg
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
While you can coat tofu in flour before frying, today we’ll be making a softer version by dipping it only in egg batter, so flour is omitted. If you’re not making the decorative flower shape, you can also skip the red chili and chives (or scallions).
Step 2
First, place the tofu on a sieve to drain excess water. While the tofu is draining, you can start preparing the vegetables to save time.
Step 3
Wash the red chili thoroughly, remove the seeds, and slice it thinly to a suitable thickness.
Step 4
Chives were a bit pricey, so I opted for scallions. Spring onions work just as well. If using chives, chop them into bite-sized pieces. For scallions or spring onions, chop them into bite-sized pieces and then cut them lengthwise into four strips for a prettier presentation.
Step 5
Letting the tofu drain on a sieve for about 10-15 minutes will remove a good amount of water. If you’re short on time, instead of using a sieve, you can microwave the tofu for about 1 minute to effectively remove moisture.
Step 6
After draining on a sieve, place the tofu in a clean kitchen towel or cheesecloth and gently press to remove any remaining moisture. Avoid squeezing too hard, as this can crumble the tofu. Apply just a little pressure to gently extract more water.
Step 7
Cut the tofu, which has had its moisture removed by the cloth, into bite-sized pieces. You can adjust the quantity as needed. Lightly sprinkle salt over the bite-sized tofu pieces to season them; this step is optional but adds flavor.
Step 8
Crack one egg into a bowl and whisk it well to create the egg batter.
Step 9
Turn on the stove and place a pan over medium heat. Add a generous amount of oil and let it heat up. Once the oil is hot, dip the tofu pieces into the egg batter and place them in the pan. When frying tofu pancakes, it’s best to cook them over low to medium heat rather than high heat to prevent burning and ensure they cook through evenly.
Step 10
Place the thinly sliced red chili on top of the cooking tofu, followed by the chopped chives or scallions, arranged to create a beautiful flower shape. While delicious on their own, decorating them this way makes them even more special. Isn’t it lovely?
Step 11
Once one side of the tofu pancake is golden brown, carefully flip it over and cook the other side until golden brown. Your delicious tofu pancakes are now ready!
