To make the tofu, cut into ½ inch long strips (resembling a french fry). Place in a plate and add soy sauce, white pepper and garlic pepper to marinade. Marinate for 20-30 minutes.
While the tofu is marinating, make the thai seasoning by chopping up the lemongrass. Smash the lemongrass to release flavor and use the insides (soft part) of the lemongrass.
In a pan on low-medium heat, add thai sticky rice, lemongrass, markut lime leaves, and thai bird chili. Toast for 18-20 minutes until rice is golden. Stir frequently.
In a blender, add the toasted ingredients (in step 2), salt, sugar, and garlic powder. Blend until smooth. There will be some stringy lemongrass. You can use a strainer to sift the large pieces. Set seasoning aside.
Once the tofu is marinated for 20-30 minutes, its time to deep fry. Beat 1 egg and place in a bowl. Add panko and flour on a plate. Dip the tofu in flour, egg and panko. Repeat until all pieces have been coated. Let the tofu rest.
In a pan, heat up 1 cup of oil on medium-high heat. Once oil is hot, gently add tofu to the pan to fry! Fry until all sides are golden, which takes a total of 10 minutes.
When the tofu is done frying, place them in a bowl. Immediately add generous amounts of thai seasoning on the tofu fries until its well coated.
To serve, add lime juice. You can make a delicious dip by mixing kewpie mayo with the thai seasoning. Hope you enjoy!