Crispy Tofu and Veg Stacks with Pea Puree and Lemon Herb Sauce | Rebel Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What is a substitute for cornstarch in crispy tofu? ›

If you prefer not to cook with cornstarch, you can try a substitute such as potato starch or arrowroot starch. Salt and pepper: You can also add additional seasonings like garlic and onion powder, paprika, nutritional yeast, etc.

Press tofu and cube it. Coat it in garlic, black pepper, salt (plus more of your favourite seasonings), liquid aminos and some olive oil. Then mix it into some cornstarch and toss it all together, then bake for about 20 minutes. Cornstarch also helps to draw out excess moisture so it really gets the tofu crispy.

Press the block of extra-firm tofu to remove excess liquid. Use your hands to break the tofu into crumbles, resembling the size of ground meat. Sauté or bake the crumbles in oil to get them crispy before using. Alternatively, use uncooked crumbles for making burgers.

Pat each cube dry. In a large nonstick skillet, heat the vegetable oil and 1 teaspoon of sesame oil over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the tofu and cook on all sides until golden brown, 2-4 minutes per side, then remove from the pan and set aside.

The key to crispy tofu is to heat the oil in your pan before adding tofu cubes. Coating the pan-fried tofu in corn flour helps create a crispy coating as the cubed tofu cooks in the oil. Another key to getting uber-crispy tofu is removing excess liquid/moisture from it before you cook tofu.

Coating your tofu with a mixture of cornstarch and salt will give it a crunchy coating with great flavor. You can also use potato starch, regular flour, or even gluten-free flour instead of cornstarch, but the cornstarch crisps up the best. You can bake, pan-fry, or deep fry your tofu.

What to not serve with tofu? According to studies, a high volume consumption of tofu and spinach together can increase your risk of kidney stones. Tofu and spinach contain calcium and oxalic acid respectively and the combined can form kidney stones.

Tofu seasoning rub: Rub the pressed tofu with lots of spices like garlic or onion powder, salt and pepper, nutritional yeast or a spicy taco seasoning, KFC seasoning, Buffalo spice, etc. Tofu marinade: Soak the tofu cubes in your favorite chicken/meat marinade to infuse extra flavor.

I gently pat its outside dry, cut it into 1/2-inch cubes. I cook the tofu in 2 tablespoons of oil (I like to use coconut, but vegetable oil or grapeseed oil also work well) over medium-high heat, and salt it. The tofu cooks in a single layer for 4-5 minutes, undisturbed (this is how it gets its lovely, crispy crust).

In a mixing bowl or measuring cup with a spout, whisk together the marinade: soy sauce, maple syrup, rice vinegar, olive oil, sesame oil, garlic powder, smoked paprika, ginger, and Sriracha. Drizzle over the tofu. If any pieces look bare, turn them over in the marinade a few times so all of the sides are coated.

How do you get seasoning to stick to tofu? ›

Don't dry the tofu: the seasoning will stick much better if your tofu is a little wet on the surface. Don't press it: pressing the tofu makes it dry and rubbery and ruins its texture. We don't want that. Instead, we want fried tofu that is soft, almost silky on the inside, and crispy on the outside.

Using a batter for the tofu ensures that it stays crispy even after getting tossed in sauce. Cooking each component of the stir fry in stages and combining them at the end facilitates even cooking and browning.

Baking is my go-to method for how to cook tofu. It yields flavorful, firm cubes that are perfect for adding to a stir fry, salad, or bowl!

Type of oil to use for frying tofu: Canola is great and so are vegetable/soybean oil and refined peanut oil. In general, choose a neutral-flavored oil that has a high smoking point. That is, don't deep-fry with sesame oil.

Cornstarch Substitute for Fried Foods

Try rice flour or potato flour instead of cornstarch to coat protein or veggies before frying. In a pinch, you can also use all-purpose flour, but your fried foods won't be as crispy.

Interestingly, cornstarch contains 25 to 28 percent amylose, which is higher than the amount in wheat or potato starch (which are 20 to 22 percent amylose), and this is why cornstarch works the best for making crispy coatings on fried foods.

Gypsum (calcium sulfate)

Use 1.5 teaspoons powdered gypsum in 1/2 cup of room temperature water. Stir the mixture just before adding to your hot soymilk. Spoiler Alert: This one's still my favorite tofu coagulant. Cheap, accessible (on Amazon), and tasteless!