Burmese tofu fritters (tohu jaw)

• vegetable oil↗2 tbsp tbsp

  plus extra for the dish and fryer

• chickpea flour↗100g g
• salt↗¼ tsp tsp
• vegetable stock powder↗1 tsp tsp
• ground turmeric¼ tsp tsp
• baking powder↗¼ tsp tsp
• golden sugar↗1 ½ tbsp tbsp
• fish sauce↗2 tbsp tbsp
• light soy sauce↗2 tbsp tbsp
• limes↗2

  juiced

• chili↗2 finger

  sliced into rings

• garlic cloves↗3

  crushed

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Mix all the ingredients for the sauce in a bowl. Cover and set aside.

2. 2

   Grease a baking dish (15 × 20 cm) with oil. Place the flour, salt, vegetable stock powder, turmeric, baking powder and 350 ml water in a large bowl and whisk thoroughly. Cover and leave in a cool place for 2 hours, whisking occasionally.

3. 3

   Pour 250 ml boiling water into a large pot over high heat. Add the oil, then pour in the flour mixture and stir slowly with a large spoon. Reduce the heat to medium‑high. Continue stirring for 10 minutes, until the mixture starts to bubble and reaches a thick, custard‑like consistency. Transfer to the baking dish and let stand at room temperature until set and completely cooled.

4. 4

   Drain the excess liquid, wrap the tofu in kitchen paper and return it to the dish. At this stage you can cover and refrigerate for up to 48 hours before use.

5. 5

   When ready to fry the fritters, unwrap the tofu and cut it into rectangles about 5 × 3 × 1 cm.

6. 6

   Heat a wok or deep‑fat fryer with 5 cm of oil (no more than a third of the vessel) until you feel heat waves by holding your hand 10 cm above the oil. Carefully lower 3 or 4 tofu rectangles into the hot oil – they should sizzle immediately. Fry for 3 minutes until golden, then gently turn and fry another 3 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain in a sieve over a plate to collect excess oil. Repeat with the next batch.

7. 7

   When you have fried all the tofu fritters, return them to the hot oil and fry for another 4–5 minutes for extra crispness. Drain the fritters on plenty of kitchen paper and serve with garlic sauce or sweet chili sauce.