THE BEST PAN-FRIED TOFU
I have had MANY people ask me how I pan fry my tofu and get it so crispy and firm. There are a few reasons why:-). First I either use a non-stick or cast iron pan, I don't overcrowd the surface, I drain my tofu REALLY well, use only extra firm Chinese style and MOST important of all, I leave it undisturbed while cooking and this allows the golden crust we all love on pan-fried tofu to develop! Please find detailed instructions below on how to make the best pan-fried tofu ever!
Provided by Aioli_Queen
Categories Very Low Carbs
Time 16m
Yield 2-4 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 4
Steps:
- Take your block of tofu and wrap it in several layers of paper towels.
- Gently press the tofu with your hands or against the counter top to release the liquid. This will take about a minute.
- Slice the tofu into pieces about 1/2 an inch thick.
- Set tofu aside.
- If you are using a non-stick pan heat it slightly on medium-high heat (about 30 seconds) before adding oil.
- If you are using a cast iron pan, please heat for about 1 minute to 1 1/2 minutes on medium-high heat. Cast iron is very thick and you want the pan to be heated evenly before adding the tofu.
- Add oil to heated pan.
- Gently spread oil over the entire surface of the pan.
- Set the tofu pieces in the pan, leaving ample room between them. They should sizzle when placed in the oil. Sprinkle the tops with salt and a little cayenne pepper.
- Now, the MOST IMPORTANT step is -- LEAVE THEM ALONE for about 6 or 7 minutes. Just gently shake them to make sure they don't stick to the pan. Do NOT turn them or agitate them in any other way. When you see a golden crust beginning to creep its way up the sides of the slices, turn them and spice the other side. Add more oil if the pan seems too dry.
- The second side will only take about 4 minutes to cook.
- When they are evenly browned take them out of the pan and place them on paper towels to drain.
- These are very simply seasoned and basic and can now be used any way you like. I like these with steamed broccoli and peanut sauce -- or in a sandwich with grilled peppers and mushrooms and aioli -- or just eaten with ketchup:-).
TOFU THAT TASTES GOOD: STIR-FRY
A tofu-veggie stir fry made tasty with a simple technique that gives the tofu perfect texture and flavor. Serve over rice or on its own for a healthy and delicious weeknight meal. Feeds 2-3.
Provided by Minimalist Baker
Categories Entree
Time 1h
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (204 C) and begin drying your tofu. Drain, remove it from the package and place between two thick towels folded into the shape of the tofu. Then place a plate or bowl on top and top it with something heavy like a book or skillet. Alternatively, use a tofu press.
- Let it dry for about 15 minutes, changing your towels if they get too wet. Once dry, unwrap, chop tofu into roughly 1-inch cubes or rectangles (see photo).
- Arrange tofu on a lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheet to prevent sticking and bake for a total of 25-35 minutes, flipping once halfway through to ensure even cooking. This will dry out the tofu and help give it a more meat-like texture. If you want a tougher texture, cook it for 30-35. For a slightly more tender texture, pull it out at 20-25 minutes to check.
- Once it's golden brown and a bit tough and firm, remove from the oven set it out to dry a bit more while you prep your vegetables. Ideally, it would set out another 45 minutes or even longer. I haven't tried letting it set out for much longer, but I don't think it would hurt either way.
- If serving over rice, start the rice at this point.
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk together all of the sauce ingredients - set aside.
- To a large skillet over medium-high heat, add sesame oil and swirl to coat. Then add veggies and toss to coat. Cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring often. When the vegetables have some color and have softened a bit, add the sauce and stir. It should bubble and thicken. Then add the tofu and stir to coat.
- Cook the mixture for 3-5 minutes, stirring often. When veggies are cooked to your preferred doneness, remove from heat. Serve as is or over rice for a more filling meal. Best when eaten fresh, though will keep in the refrigerator for a couple days.
Nutrition Facts : ServingSize 1 servings, Calories 492 kcal, Carbohydrate 44.6 g, Protein 29.4 g, Fat 25.2 g, SaturatedFat 4.1 g, Sodium 1241 mg, Fiber 7.5 g, Sugar 24.7 g, UnsaturatedFat 18.69 g
BAKED TOFU
This 30-Minute Baked Tofu recipe is my favorite way to make tofu! It's ultra-easy, totally customizable with your favorite seasonings, and surprisingly crispy and delicious.
Provided by Ali
Time 35m
Number Of Ingredients 6
Steps:
- Slice your block of tofu into 2 or 3 even slabs (depending on the shape of your tofu block, each slab should be about 3/4 to 1-inch thick). Lay some paper towels or a clean tea towel on a flat surface, and place the slabs side by side on top of the paper towels. Cover with another layer of paper towels. Then place a cutting board on top of the tofu, and stack a bunch of heavy cans or pots or whatever you can safely balance on the cutting board. The idea is to put a lot of pressure/weight on the tofu, which will help the excess water to press out into the paper towels. Let the tofu drain for at least 15-30 minutes. Meanwhile, heat your oven to 400°F.
- Once the tofu has drained, remove the weights and paper towels. And use a knife to cut the tofu into your desired shapes. I typically just make little cubes (about 3/4-inch each), but you can cut any size of triangles, rectangles, or other shapes that you'd like.
- Add your tofu to a large mixing bowl. Drizzle with olive oil, and toss until evenly coated. Sprinkle evenly with cornstarch, salt, garlic powder and black pepper. Gently toss until the tofu is evenly coated.
- Turn the tofu out onto a parchment-covered baking sheet, and arrange it so that the tofu is in an even layer (not touching).
- Bake for 15 minutes. Then remove the baking sheet from the oven, and flip each of the tofu bites so that they can cook evenly on the other side. Return to the oven for 15-20 more minutes, or until the tofu reaches your desired level of crispiness. Remove baking sheet from the oven.
- And enjoy!
HOW TO MAKE CRISPY BAKED TOFU
Here is how to make super crispy tofu in the oven. Recipe yields 4 servings of tofu, as a complement to a larger meal.
Provided by Cookie and Kate
Categories Protein
Time 40m
Number Of Ingredients 4
Steps:
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent the tofu from sticking.
- To prepare the tofu: Drain the tofu and use your palms to gently squeeze out some of the water. Slice the tofu into thirds lengthwise so you have 3 even slabs. Stack the slabs on top of each other and slice through them lengthwise to make 3 even columns, then slice across to make 5 even rows (see photos).
- Line a cutting board with a lint-free tea towel or paper towels, then arrange the tofu in an even layer on the towel(s). Fold the towel(s) over the cubed tofu, then place something heavy on top (like another cutting board, topped with a cast iron pan or large cans of tomatoes) to help the tofu drain. Let the tofu rest for at least 10 minutes (preferably more like 30 minutes, if you have the time).
- Transfer the pressed tofu to a medium mixing bowl and drizzle with the olive oil and tamari. Toss to combine. Sprinkle the starch over the tofu, and toss the tofu until the starch is evenly coated, so there are no powdery spots remaining.
- Tip the bowl of tofu over onto your prepared baking sheet and arrange the tofu in an even layer. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, tossing the tofu halfway, until the tofu is deeply golden on the edges. Use as desired.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 136 calories, Sugar 0.8 g, Sodium 179.7 mg, Fat 9.5 g, SaturatedFat 1.5 g, TransFat 0 g, Carbohydrate 3.4 g, Fiber 1.2 g, Protein 11.9 g, Cholesterol 0 mg
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- Pre-heat your oven to 400 degrees F and line a baking sheet with a silpat mat or parchment paper.
- Take the tofu out of the packaging and discard the liquid. Press the tofu according to these directions. If you have a tofu press, use that. If not, you can simply wrap the tofu in a lint free towel or paper towels and place a heavy skillet on top for 20 minutes. See HERE for full details on pressing tofu.
- Once pressed, cut the tofu into bite sized pieces. I have tried this with small pieces and rather large chunks and they all work great! So cut them according to your liking.
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- You bought the wrong kind. Tofu is made of condensed soy milk in a process very similar to cheesemaking. We tend to think immediately of pressed white blocks, but there’s a variety of tofu textures and densities on the market, and buying the wrong kind for your recipe will doom it before you begin.
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- You used oil in your marinade. Even after thorough pressing, there will still be liquid in your tofu…more specifically, water. If you use an oil-based marinade, the oil and the water will form a natural barrier, keeping the marinade from penetrating.
- You breaded it. If you want a nice, crispy exterior on your tofu, you may be tempted to treat it as you would a piece of fish or chicken…dredge it in a batter or a flour-based breading.
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- You used the wrong pan. Tofu has a tendency to stick to the pan—hard. Of course, scraping it off the bottom of your pan will both strip it of its crispy coating and break it up into pieces, leaving a mess.
- You didn’t store it well. If you pulled off a great tofu recipe the first time, but then the meal you made with the tofu left in your fridge was lacking, it may be because you stored it incorrectly.
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