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1
Press the drained tofu under a weighted board for at least 20 minutes to expel surface moisture. The block should yield no further liquid when pressed firmly between the palms.
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2
Cut the tofu into the form required by the preparation chosen — cubes, slabs, or triangles as the regional tradition dictates. Edges should be clean and uniform so that each piece fries evenly.
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3
Heat the oil in a wok or deep pan to frying temperature. This is the step on which the dish lives or dies: the oil must be hot enough that the tofu seals immediately on contact, forming a taut golden crust without absorbing oil into the interior — a cube dropped in should be encircled at once by a steady, vigorous hiss.
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4
Fry in uncrowded batches, turning once, until each piece is uniformly deep gold and the surface is dry to the eye, with no glistening patches of moisture.
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5
Lift onto a rack. The finished pieces should be audibly crisp when tapped, and the interior, when one piece is broken open, should remain white, soft, and steaming.