From his Pepto-pink truck, Joe Kim of the Flying Pig sells French-Asian tacos and sliders all around L.A., playfully combining ingredients like the fried tofu and peanuts here.
One 14-ounce package extra-firm tofu, cut into 1-inch cubes
3 tablespoons Korean chile powder or hot paprika
1 tablespoon Korean pepper paste (kochujang)
1 tablespoon finely grated garlic
1 tablespoon finely grated ginger
1 tablespoon toasted-sesame oil
Kosher salt
1 cup cornstarch
2 cups vegetable oil, for frying
12 corn or 5-inch flour tortillas, warmed
Hoisin sauce, kimchi, Asian pear, scallions and chopped honey-roasted peanuts, for serving
Place the tofu on a rack lined with paper towels and drain for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine 1 tablespoon of the chile powder with the pepper paste, garlic, ginger and sesame oil and season with salt. In another large bowl, whisk the cornstarch with the remaining 2 tablespoons of chile powder and 1 tablespoon of salt.
In a medium, deep skillet, heat the oil until it reaches 365°. Add the tofu to the chile sauce and stir gently to coat. Scrape the tofu into the cornstarch mixture and toss to coat. Transfer the coated tofu to a colander to tap out the excess cornstarch. Fry the tofu in one batch, stirring occasionally, until golden and crunchy, 3 to 3 1/2 minutes; maintain the heat near 360°. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the crunchy tofu to a paper towel–lined rack and sprinkle with salt. Serve the tofu right away with the tortillas, hoisin sauce, kimchi, Asian pear, scallions and peanuts.
