Southern Fried Tofu Food

SOUTHERN FRIED TOFU

Steps:

• Cut the tofu horizontally into three equal slabs. Wrap each slab in a clean tea towel or paper towel and press the toful for 45 minutes. If time does not permit, wrap tofu and press gently to extract as much moisture as possible.
• For seasoning mix; place the nutritional yeast, salt, herbs, and spices in a wide, shallow mixing bowl. Stir well to combine.
• Stir the milk and lemon juice together in a small mixing bowl. Place the flour in mixing bowl.
• Cut each slab of tofu into 4 triangles, making a total of 12 in all. Working with one piece at a time, dredge the tofu in the flour. Shake off any excess. Now submerge the tofu in the "soured" milk. Coat the tofu in the seasoning mix.
• Coat a large skillet with vegetable oil and heat over medium high heat. When oil is hot, add the tofu pieces in a single layer. Cook until bottoms are well browned, then turn pieces over and cook until browned. Add more oil between batches and adjust the heat as necessary.
• As soon as tofu is removed from the skillet, place it on a plate lined with paper towels and blot off excess oil. Serve and enjoy!

CRISPY FRIED TOFU SANDWICH

Steps:

• For the tofu: Slice the tofu in half widthwise and then across to create 4 large pieces. Arrange the pieces in a large microwave-safe airtight container (some overlap is ok) and freeze overnight.
• Remove the lid from the container and microwave the tofu on high, stopping every 2 minutes to pour off the water and check if the tofu is thawed, about 6 minutes,. Transfer the tofu to a strainer while making the brine.
• Whisk the pickle juice, chili powder, smoked paprika, sugar, and 1 teaspoon salt in the same airtight container. Gently press the tofu pieces between your palms to expel any excess water, then nestle in the brine in an even layer. Cover and marinate the tofu in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour or up to 8 hours.
• For the sandwich: Whisk the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, dried oregano, smoked paprika, and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper together in a medium bowl. Stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons of the pickle brine to create clumps. Whisk the Dijon and maple syrup plus 2 tablespoons of warm water together in a separate small shallow bowl.
• Pour 2 inches of oil into a large high-sided skillet or a Dutch oven and set over medium heat until the oil reaches 350 degrees F.
• While the oil is heating, dredge the tofu. Remove one piece from the brine and toss in the flour mixture to coat, shaking off the excess. Dip in the Dijon mixture, making sure all sides are coated, then dredge in the flour again, pressing to adhere the flour. Transfer the coated tofu to a plate while coating the rest.
• Add all four pieces of tofu to the hot oil, leaving space between each piece. (Fry in batches if the skillet is getting crowded.) Fry until the coating is a deep golden brown, flipping the tofu halfway, about 5 minutes. Transfer the fried tofu to paper towels or a baking sheet lined with a wire rack to drain.
• Spread some Vegan Buffalo Mayo on the burger buns, add a piece of tofu to each and layer with some lettuce and dill pickles.
• Add the tofu, hot sauce, Dijon, lemon juice and 1 teaspoon salt to a blender or food processor. Blend on high, stopping to scrape the sides as needed, until the mixture is smooth, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a pint jar or airtight container and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.