Crispy Kung Pao Tofu

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 quarts vegetable or peanut oil
• 1/2 cup plus 2 teaspoons cornstarch, divided
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• Kosher salt
• 1/2 cup cold water
• 1/2 cup vodka
• 1 pound extra-firm tofu, cut into 3/4-inch cubes, carefully dried
• 1/4 cup water or vegetable stock
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon Sichuan broad bean chili paste
• 1 tablespoon Chinkiang vinegar
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 3 scallions, whites finely minced, and greens finely sliced, reserved separately
• 3 cloves minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
• 2 tablespoons sichuan peppercorns, divided
• 12 hot Chinese dry chili peppers
• 2 small leeks, white and light green parts only, cut into 1/4-inch slices
• 2 ribs celery, split in half lengthwise and cut into 3/4-inch pieces
• 1 long green Chinese hot pepper, stemmed and seeded, cut into 3/4-inch squares
• 1/2 cup roasted peanuts
• Cooked white rice, for serving

Directions

1. Warm the oil in a wok until it reaches 350 degrees F. In a bowl, whisk 1/2 cup cornstarch with the flour, baking powder, and 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Pour in the water and vodka, then whisk until the batter is smooth, thinning it with up to 2 tablespoons additional water if needed. You want it loose, like thin paint, so it streams from the whisk in narrow ribbons and blends back into the bowl right away. Add the tofu and turn it gently until coated. Lift the tofu pieces one by one, letting extra batter run back into the bowl, then ease each piece into the hot oil. Continue until the wok is full but not crowded. Fry the tofu, moving the pieces around with a metal spider or slotted spatula, until they are crisp and evenly light golden, about 6 minutes. Move the fried tofu to a paper towel-lined plate, and continue frying the rest the same way. Carefully remove the oil from the wok.
2. In a small bowl, stir together the stock, soy sauce, bean paste, vinegar, sugar, and remaining 2 teaspoons corn starch; set it aside. In another small bowl, combine the scallion whites, garlic, and ginger; set that aside too. Crush half of the peppercorns coarsely with a mortar and pestle or in a spice grinder.
3. Place a fine mesh strainer over a heatproof bowl or saucepan. Add 1/4 cup oil back to the wok and warm it over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Stir in the remaining half of peppercorns and the chilies, and cook for 5 seconds. Strain the oil right away through the fine mesh strainer. Pull out the chilies and reserve them, then throw away the cooked peppercorns.
4. Pour the infused oil back into the wok and heat it over high heat until it just begins to smoke. Add the leeks, celery, and long pepper, then stir and toss until the vegetables are tender-crisp with a little char, about 1 1/2 minutes. Push the vegetables aside to open up the middle of the wok, then add the scallion, ginger, and garlic mixture. Stir until it smells aromatic, about 30 seconds. Add the peanuts, reserved dried chilies, and fried tofu. Stir the sauce mixture once more, pour it into the wok, and toss everything together until the tofu is coated. Add the scallion greens and ground peppercorns, toss to combine, and serve immediately with white rice.