Easy Crispy Tofu
Before I learned to make tofu this way, I thought it was gross mush. But I mean, LOOK AT THAT CRISP! Yum. It takes a little extra time but it's worth it to add a new food, flavor & texture into a meal! I'm not vegetarian or vegan, but I enjoy having dinners with plant based proteins like tofu, tempeh, and beans to mix it up and add more variety into my diet. You don't have to be vegetarian or vegan either- it's just another way to experiment in the kitchen! Tofu itself is flavorless so you can mix up the flavor for different dishes based on the spices you use in the coating. Tofu is made from soy milk curds. It's full of nutrients and amino acids making it a great (& affordable) protein choice. I had tofu and plant based proteins a lot in college when the grocery budget was tight! There are different types of tofu: silken, soft, medium, firm, extra firm and super firm. The more firm the tofu, the less water is in it. This is important to know for the dish you're making. For this recipe I'm using extra firm so it stays together better and I have to squeeze less water out during prep! *time & energy saver*
What You'll Need:
1 pack tofu (as shown)
2/3 c cornstarch
1 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp tumeric
1/4 tsp 21 seasoning salute (Trader Joe's - you can sub for another seasoning blend or leave this one out)
Dash of cayenne pepper to preference
salt & pepper to taste
avocado oil
How to:
Take the tofu out of the package and blot with paper towels to remove excess water. Press down to get more water out and expect to use quite a few paper towels. It's important to get as much water out as possible to make the tofu crispy!
Slice the tofu into thinnish slices or into strips. The thinner you cut the pieces the crispier it will get. This is all your preference but try to make the pieces similar in size.
Mix the cornstarch and seasonings in a wide bowl
Heat avocado oil in a skillet until it simmers. You'll want enough oil to generously cover the bottom on the pan.
Dip the tofu pieces into the cornstarch mixture and coat. Place in the pan and cook until crispy on each side. Pieces take ~5-6 minutes to cook. Keep going until you've cooked all of the tofu & add to your dish.
Steps in picture format :) (extra notes at the bottom)
Notes:
You can reheat tofu later & it tastes good!
Coat the tofu in the cornstarch mixture as close to when you're adding it to the pan as possible. If you coat the tofu and let it sit, the coating will sink into the tofu.