Crispy Tofu With Citrus Dipping Sauce Food

THE BEST CRISPY TOFU

Steps:

• Wrap the tofu in a clean dish towel and place on top of a wire rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet. Place a heavy pan on top of the tofu and let it sit for 5 minutes to release as much moisture as possible. Unwrap the tofu and slice lengthwise into 1/2-inch-thick by 1 1/2-inch-wide planks.
• Whisk the soy sauce, lime juice, agave syrup, scallion whites and sriracha together in a small bowl and set aside. Mix the panko, sesame seeds, cornstarch, garlic salt, onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and a few grinds of pepper in a pie dish or shallow bowl. Press the tofu planks into the panko mixture to coat on all sides.
• Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the tofu and cook, undisturbed, until deep golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Flip the tofu with a metal spatula and continue cooking undisturbed until a deep golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes more. Transfer to a platter.
• Reduce the heat to low and add the soy-sauce mixture to the pan. Cook until bubbling and slightly thicker, 1 to 2 minutes. Pour the sauce over the tofu planks and sprinkle with the scallion greens.

CRISPY TOFU WITH CITRUS DIPPING SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400° F. Line cookie sheet with cooking parchment paper.
• Stack 2 paper towels on work surface. Cut tofu in half crosswise. Cut each half into 6 pieces. Arrange tofu on paper towels; let stand 10 minutes to drain. Pat top of tofu dry.
• In large bowl, stir together 1/2 cup orange juice, the soy sauce and Sriracha sauce. Add tofu; let stand at room temperature 30 minutes to marinate.
• Place cornmeal in another large bowl. Remove tofu from marinade; discard marinade. Dredge tofu in cornmeal, coating each piece thoroughly. Arrange in single layer on cookie sheet.
• Bake 10 minutes. Turn tofu pieces over; bake 10 minutes longer or until hot and crisp.
• To make sauce, mix 1/4 cup orange juice and hoisin with whisk until blended. Sprinkle pepper flakes over top. Serve tofu with sauce.

CRISPY FRIED TOFU

Steps:

• Wrap tofu in a clean towel and place onto a plate. Set another plate on top, and place a 3- to 5-pound weight on top. Press tofu for about 20 minutes; drain and discard the accumulated liquid.
• Cut tofu into 1-inch by 2-inch chunks. Sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon salt onto one slide; flip over and sprinkle remaining 1/4 teaspoon on the other.
• Heat oil in a wok or large skillet. To test if the oil is ready, dip a chopstick or wooden spoon in it; if bubbles rise, it is ready. If the oil smokes, it is too hot.
• Gently place 5 to 8 pieces of tofu at a time in hot oil using metal tongs. Be very careful as oil may splatter; use a splatter guard if possible. Fry tofu until golden, 3 to 4 minutes.
• Drain tofu on a plate lined with several paper towels. Allow to cool slightly before serving.

CRISPY TOFU WITH SWEET-AND-SOUR SAUCE

Steps:

• Press the tofu: Wrap the block of tofu in a clean tea towel, and place on a cutting board. Weigh down the tofu with a sheet pan topped with something heavy, such as a large skillet, cans or books, until the tea towel is soaked, about 30 minutes.
• While the tofu is pressed, prep the zucchini: Halve the zucchini crosswise, then cut each piece lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick planks. Finally, cut each plank lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick "fries." Place the zucchini fries in a large colander set over a medium bowl. Add 1 teaspoon salt, and toss until evenly coated. Set aside to drain.
• Meanwhile, make the sauce: In a measuring cup, stir together the apricot preserves, rice vinegar, soy sauce, red-pepper flakes, 1 teaspoon onion powder and 2 teaspoons water until smooth. Transfer to a small dish for dipping, and set aside.
• Slice the pressed tofu in half horizontally, and cut each of those halves into 8 rectangular pieces, creating 16 nuggets total. Directly on the cutting board, season the tofu with 1 teaspoon salt and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon onion powder, smearing each piece around to catch all the seasonings.
• In a large bowl, toss to combine the potato starch and the remaining 1 teaspoon salt. Place the tofu in the starch, and gently toss with your hands until each piece is evenly coated.
• Fry the tofu: Heat a large skillet over medium-high, and add a thin layer of oil, enough to coat the bottom of the pan. Add the tofu in a single layer, and cook, flipping a couple of times, until lightly golden on both sides, about 10 minutes total. Transfer the cooked tofu to a towel-lined plate to drain, and season it with salt to taste.
• To serve, transfer the tofu and zucchini to a large platter, and serve alongside the dipping sauce.

CRISPY TOFU SUMMER ROLLS WITH CASHEW DIPPING SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat 1 tbsp sesame oil in a large, non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. Pat the tofu dry, then fry for 5 mins until golden and crisp. Remove to a bowl and set aside.
• Tip the rice noodles into a deep heatproof bowl and cover with boiling water from the kettle. Leave to soak for 15 mins, then drain and rinse under cold running water to halt the cooking process. Whisk together the remaining sesame oil, the rice vinegar, brown sugar and fish sauce, then tip in the noodles and toss to coat.
• For the dipping sauce, combine the cashew butter, soy sauce, vinegar and garlic, then slowly whisk in 50ml boiling water from the kettle to loosen.
• To assemble the rolls, dip one of the rice paper wrappers into a bowl of hot water, swishing it around until the wrapper is soft, about 10-15 seconds. Transfer to a clean tea towel to drain. Transfer the wrapper to a board and arrange a few mint and coriander leaves along one edge, followed by some of the carrot and cucumber matchsticks, some fried tofu and a few of the dressed noodles. Lift the edge of the wrapper up and over the filling and, holding the filling in position with your fingers, start rolling up tightly. When you're about halfway, fold the ends of the wrapper to enclose the filling, then continue to roll to seal. Repeat with the remaining wrappers and filling.
• To serve, cut the rolls in half on the diagonal. Sprinkle the sesame seeds over the sauce and serve it alongside for dunking into.