I like tofu but I don't enjoy the wobbly texture even that of extra-firm tofu. In our attempts to eat better, we wanted to incorporate more tofu into our meal planning. We tried a couple different things and our favorite by far is the Fried Tofu. I'd had Joel's fried tofu (
delish!) before but this one is a bit different and you can adapt it to fit pretty much any meal or taste preferences.
We normally prepare a whole bunch and keep it in the marinade in the fridge and then just use a couple pieces when we need to for
stirfry, snacks, in salads or even as a side dish.
Fried Tofu à la MoiI like to use extra-firm tofu because it's a lot more versatile and for some odd reason, I seem to think it lasts longer. You can use firm tofu also and prepare it the same way.
Tofu is hard to marinate because it's already soaked with water. You have to drain out all the water for it to absorb another more flavorful liquid.
Step 1 - Cut or dice the tofu in "finger food" size pieces. I normally slice the cube and then split those slices in small triangles. Gives about 12 slices so 24 pieces of tofu.
Step 2 - Place the pieces on a dishcloth (not terrycloth) and fold over until all the tofu is covered and tucked inside the towel. I normally will wrap up the dishcloth inside a terrycloth towel to absorb any extra water. Use something heavy to press down on the wrapped up tofu and let set for about an hour.
I normally use a heavy punch bowl with a cutting board, a heaving cook book and some heavy plates. Js always mocks my piles - we call it the Leaning Tower of Tofu. Pile up everything nicely and evenly on the tofu and go do something else. The longer you let it set, the more moisture will be squeezed out of the tofu and the more flavorful it will be. You can also replace the terrycloth towel for a dry one if you notice it gets really wet - especially if you're using firm instead of extra-firm tofu. If you're using firm or medium tofu, be careful not to press it too much - reduce your pile to a book or something and add to it if needed.
Step 3 - Heat up a large non stick skillet and "dry fry" the slices of pressed tofu. Don't use any kind of oil, cooking spray or non-stick substance. The tofu won't stick to the non-stick pan and as it starts to heat up, they should move around easily if you shake the pan. Turn and flip your tofu until all sides are fried - a bit yellowish and browning slightly.
Don't overload your pan. It's better to do a couple batches and to have evenly fried tofu than to do one large batch.
Step 4 - Prepare marinade in a plastic airtight container. You can use any kind of meat marinade or water-based sauce you like. Here's for my
tofu marinade instructions - simple and
uber tasty.
Step 5 - Soak the fried tofu in the marinade, make sure all the pieces are covered and leave in the fridge overnight.
They can be fried again in a pan with the marinade, thrown in with a
stirfry, crumbled or chopped to serve on a salad or simply just like that as a snack instead of cheese.
I had documented and taken pictures of the last time I made this but with my
lappy being out of
commission, I don't have the photos but will post some next time I make fried tofu.
