Fried tofu was never something I thought I'd associate with the words “exciting” and “addictive” and “I want this in my mouth every day.” But the cubes served up at Chong Qing Mei Wei make me crazy–Flaming Hot Cheetos crazy.
The golden outer layer is cooked to a subtly sweet crisp, while the inside remains soft as creamy egg custard. Roughly chopped dried chili peppers are piled on with abandon but despite the slaughter seen in the photo, the heat level isn't dangerous (unless you happen to get one lodged in your throat, which is a standard hazard with Sichuan food).
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Fried slices of garlic are like treasures in the heap–I would snack on a whole bag of them at the movies if I could (though my breath would clear the theater).
The dish is just as good fried up again the next day. If only I could make it last even longer than that.
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