Crispy Tofu with Ginger-Scallion Sauce (Tofu Yurinchi)
Yurinchi (youlinji) is Chinese fried chicken under a sharp, aromatic sauce of ginger, garlic, scallion and vinegar. Here the chicken becomes silken tofu: fried in a potato-starch shell so the outside crackles while the inside stays like custard, with that hot-sour sauce poured over the top.
The whole dish takes 10 minutes — the sauce gets a quick zap in the microwave while the tofu fries. This is the recipe I hand people who think tofu is boring.
Ingredients
- Silken tofuor firm tofu for a sturdier bite5 oz
- Potato starchor cornstarch2 tsp
- Oil, for fryingas needed
Ginger-scallion sauce
- Garlic, grated1/2 tsp
- Fresh ginger, grated1/2 tsp
- Doubanjiang (chili bean paste)see substitutions1/4 tsp
- Scallion, finely choppeda 2-inch piece
- Rice vinegar1/2 Tbsp
- Soy sauce1/2 Tbsp
- Toasted sesame oil1 Tbsp
- Cane sugar1 pinch
To serve (optional)
- Cilantro, sprouts or baby greensa handful
Nutrition
per serving🛒 Ingredient notes & substitutions
Doubanjiang: The fermented chili bean paste of Sichuan cooking — Lee Kum Kee's version is easy to find in the US. Sub a small squeeze of sriracha or sambal for a different but still delicious heat.
Silken vs firm: Silken tofu gives a custardy inside with a crisp shell — that contrast is the point. If you want something you can stab confidently with a fork, use firm tofu.
Instructions
Press the tofu well, cut it into 6 pieces, and coat every side with potato starch. Start heating the frying oil to 340°F (170°C).
Mix all the sauce ingredients in a heatproof bowl and microwave for 20–30 seconds at 600 W to take the raw edge off the aromatics.
Shake off the excess starch and fry the tofu until the surface is crisp. Drain, plate over greens, and pour the sauce over the top.
▶ Watch how it's made
Tips
Two tricks keep the frying calm: press the tofu well, and coat it in starch — that's why this doesn't spit and pop the way frying tofu usually does.
Fresh garlic and ginger beat the tube pastes here. The sauce is only seven ingredients, so each one gets to speak.