crispy tofu
Crispy tofu with sesame crust seasoning
I just made some crispy tofu for dinner last night. I have never been a fan of tofu as I don’t like it’s soft texture. However I recently discovered extra firm tofu at our grocery store and found a super easy recipe. The key is to buy extra firm tofu, squeeze out the extra moisture before cooking and then coat it with corn starch before frying. If you have time, baking the tofu in the oven will make it crispy. Follow these easy steps to make some amazing crispy tofu.
Ingredients
1 package of super firm/extra firm tofu
1/2 cup to 1 cup of cornstarch
Seasoning (see note below)
Olive oil
Creating the Magic!
Remove your tofu from the package and drain it. Wrap the tofu in a clean tea cloth/towel. Place the wrapped tofu on a plate and place something heavy on the tofu. Leave the tofu for a couple of hours to release any additional moisture.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Farenheit.
Place about 1/2 cup of cornstarch in a bowl. Add your seasoning to the bowl and mix it into the cornstarch. I typically add about 1 tablespoon of a sesame seed seasoning but the amount will depend upon the type of seasoning you are using. Unwrap the tofu and slice it in bite size cubes. Taking small batches of tofu, place the tofu in the bowl and ensure each piece is covered in cornstarch and seasoning. If you run out of mixture, then add more cornstarch and seasoning for the next round of tofu.
Drizzle some olive oil into a large pan. Add about half of the tofu to the pan (or whatever your pan can hold - you want a single layer of tofu in the pan) and pan fry the tofu pieces until they are browned on all sides. Repeat with the remaining tofu. Place the browned tofu on a baking sheet and place it in the oven for about 15 to 25 minutes (until it’s crispy all the way through).
A note on seasoning: I have experimented with different types of seasoning and my new favorite spice mix is a Japanese inspired mix consisting of sesame seeds, onion flakes, chili pepper and crushed seaweed. I found this great mix at our local grocery store in the spice section. I haven’t tried to replicate the mix but I imagine it would be fairly easy to make.
Recipes: I add this crispy tofu to salads, stir fry dishes and eat it as a snack.