Panko And Herb Crusted Baked Tofu Food

VEGAN PARMESAN HERB CRUSTED TOFU

Steps:

• You need to press your tofu before you bake it. Either in a tofu press, or by placing on some paper towels and placing something heavy on top. Press for at least 15 minutes, but the longer the better.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Then, get 3 mixing bowls. In one bowl, pour the almond milk and lemon juice. Whisk to combine, it should begin to curdle and thicken a bit.
• In the second bowl, add the flour and 1 tsp. of salt. Whisk to combine.
• In the third bowl, add the panko, nutritional yeast, garlic, basil, oregano, the remaining 1 tsp. of salt and the pepper. Whisk to combine.
• When the tofu is ready, slice it through the side, making 4 wide "steaks".
• Now, spray a baking sheet with non stick spray, or rub it with olive oil.
• Then, taking one tofu steak, place it in the flour mixture. Coat and shake off the excess, then place into the almond milk, coating completely, then back into the flour, then back into the almond milk, then into the panko. Coat completely with the bread crumbs and herbs. Pressing it on to the tofu if need be, and up the sides.
• Place the tofu on the baking sheet and repeat with the other slices of tofu. Spray the tops of the tofu with more non stick spray, or drizzle with olive oil.
• Bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Flipping the tofu halfway through baking. Bake until golden brown and crispy. Then I like to sprinkle with a little more salt and a squeeze of lemon. Serve immediately with sides of choice!

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.

PANKO TOFU

Steps:

• Open the tofu slice into cubes or slabs depending on preference; wrap in kitchen towel.
• Try to get as much water out as you can by changing the towels when they are damp. The tofu needs to be as dry as possible for this recipe.
• Coat the tofu with egg or sweet chili sauce depending on which you are using and then roll in the panko gently patting the breadcrumbs on.
• Fry until crisp and golden brown.
• Drain on kitchen towel and serve with your choice of sauce.

SESAME TOFU WITH COCONUT-LIME DRESSING AND SPINACH

Steps:

• Prepare the dressing: In a medium bowl, whisk together coconut milk, lime zest and juice, sambal oelek and brown sugar until sugar dissolves completely. Slowly stream in the sesame oil and whisk until the mixture is emulsified and creamy. Taste and season with salt as needed; set aside. (You'll have 3/4 cup dressing. Save any extra in an airtight container in the refrigerator.)
• Prepare the tofu: Pat the tofu dry with a clean kitchen towel or paper towel. In a medium bowl, whisk together panko, sesame seeds and black pepper. Season the mixture generously with salt. In a second medium bowl, lightly whisk the egg whites. Using a pair of kitchen tongs, dip the tofu slices one at a time in the egg whites and coat well. Transfer to the bowl with the panko mixture, coating well on all sides, then move to a clean plate. Repeat with remaining tofu slices.
• Line a large plate with paper towels. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a medium (10-inch) cast-iron or stainless-steel skillet over medium-low. Working in batches to avoid crowding, pan-fry the tofu until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. (Don't overcook, or the sesame seeds will turn bitter.) Transfer the fried tofu slices to the prepared plate. Repeat with the remaining tofu, adding oil and wiping out the pan as needed.
• Prepare the spinach: Wipe out the skillet, and heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium. Add the shallot and sauté until translucent, 2 to 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, 45 seconds, taking care not to scorch the garlic. Add the spinach by the handful, increasing the heat after the first handful and allowing the greens to wilt before adding more. Sauté until wilted and most of the liquid evaporates, about 10 minutes. Add the soy sauce and black pepper, and fold to coat well. Taste and add salt as needed. Remove the skillet from the heat.
• Place spinach in a serving bowl. Add fried tofu on top, and drizzle with half of the coconut-lime dressing. Sprinkle the chives over the tofu, and serve immediately, with more dressing on the side.