Tahu Sumedang Golden Crispy Tofu (Printable)

Golden crispy Indonesian tofu with fluffy interior, seasoned and fried to perfection.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Tofu Preparation

01 - 14 oz firm tofu, preferably Sumedang-style or regular firm tofu
02 - 1 tsp salt
03 - 2 cups water

→ Batter & Frying

04 - 2 tbsp rice flour
05 - 2 tbsp cornstarch
06 - 1/2 tsp ground white pepper
07 - 1/2 tsp garlic powder
08 - 1/2 tsp turmeric powder, optional for color
09 - 1/2 tsp salt
10 - 1/2 cup cold water
11 - Vegetable oil, for frying

→ Serving Suggestions

12 - Fresh bird's eye chilies
13 - Sweet soy sauce (kecap manis)

# Directions:

01 - Cut the tofu into 1-inch cubes. Dissolve 1 teaspoon salt in 2 cups water, then soak the tofu cubes for 10 minutes to infuse seasoning. Drain thoroughly and pat dry with paper towels.
02 - Combine rice flour, cornstarch, white pepper, garlic powder, turmeric powder if using, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a mixing bowl. Gradually whisk in 1/2 cup cold water until a smooth, thin batter forms.
03 - Pour enough vegetable oil into a deep pan or wok to reach 340°F. Maintain temperature throughout frying.
04 - Dip each seasoned tofu cube into the batter, allowing excess to drip off. Carefully lower into hot oil and fry in batches, turning occasionally, until golden brown and crispy, approximately 5-7 minutes per batch.
05 - Remove fried tofu using a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Serve immediately with fresh chilies and sweet soy sauce if desired.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The batter creates this impossibly light shell that shatters beautifully when you bite into it
  • Its one of those snacks that disappears from the plate the moment you set it down
  • You can make it in under 40 minutes with ingredients already sitting in your pantry
02 -
  • Double-frying changed everything for me—fry until pale gold, rest 5 minutes, then fry again for restaurant-quality crunch
  • Cold water in your batter prevents gluten development, keeping that shell light and delicate
  • Crowding the pan drops the oil temperature fast, leaving you with soggy, oily tofu
03 -
  • Pat your tofu completely dry after the salt soak—excess water makes batter slide right off
  • Let the batter rest 10 minutes before using for better adhesion to the tofu

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