I've been ranting and raving about tofu recipes that don't suck all over my instagram. The simplest tofu recipe to make is breaded and pan-fried nuggets.
Tofu is a great product to get creative with. It can take the taste of whatever you want it to be. It's squishy and stored wet so it absorbs liquid marinades better than just seasoning the outside. I try to season my tofu at every step of it's cooking process. Keep reading.
Whenever I buy tofu, the first thing I do is drain it and freeze it. Freezing the tofu helps the texture become more "chicken-like" versus slimy and wet. After the tofu is frozen (about 4+ hours), then I boil it in very seasoned water. Salt, soy sauce, a lemon wedge, black pepper, are a few of the elements you can add to the water.
Once the tofu is soft enough for a fork to poke through, drain it and squeeze as much of the water out as possible. Place the tofu into a bowl, add in lemon juice (fresh or bottled), lots of black pepper, cayenne pepper, and garlic powder. Remember that tofu has no taste so it's your job to give it one. You want to use garlic powder versus fresh garlic for this because we will be panfrying our tofu and the powder will stick better and add to the crust.
Ingredients
1 package of Firm tofu
1 whole lemon or 1/2-1 cup of lemon juice
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp Black pepper
1 tbsp Garlic powder
1/2 tbsp Cayenne pepper
1 cup flour
1 cup bread crumbs
1 tsp baking powder
Cooking oil
Pan-Fried Tofu Nuggets
1. Drain and freeze your package of tofu for 4+ hours (this step is crucial in the texture of your nuggets)
2. Bring a pot of water to a boil and add your tofu. Season your boiling water with 2 tsp salt, lemon juice, and add a lemon wedge to boil.
3. Once tofu is defrosted, drain and squeeze as much water as you can. You won't get the tofu completely dry but we don't want it dripping.
4. Roughly break tofu up with your hands so the "square" is not a perfect shape, but resembles chicken nuggets.
4. In a bowl mix flour, bread crumbs, baking powder, and remainder of your salt. Whisk and coat each tofu nugget until they are completely covered in the flour mixture.
5. Heat your cooking oil over medium-high heat and carefully add in your nuggets until desired golden-brown color and crispy texture. Let tofu cool on a cooling rack. Allowing air to hit all sides of the nuggets will help the texture crisp.
6. When all nuggets are finished you can add them back into the warm pan and squeeze lemon and sprinkle extra black pepper all over to help pick up any flavor lost in the frying process.
Serve with side salad and steamed broccoli
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@brunchwithsam
