Over the last few years, the world has been trying to cut down on its consumption of meat. Meat-free Mondays have become a thing—beyond beef burgers are now commonplace at popular restaurants. But as advanced as the vegetarian movement has become, we’re still going back to one of our top ingredients: tofu.
If you’re a fan, you’ll know that tofu is as versatile as a protein can be. Grill it, bake it, and simmer it in a stew. Our favorite way to have it, however, is crispy. Here’s how to get it perfect.
Step #1
The drier your tofu, the crispier it will be, so pay it with a kitchen towel before cooking it. Gently press the tofu to get out any excess moisture. You could also blanket the block between the kitchen towel and place some heavy objects on top for half an hour to overnight.
Step #2
Once you’ve removed as much moisture as possible, pat dry your tofu and cut it into pieces. Then, season with salt.
Step #3
The key to good crispiness is some kind of starch. Cornstarch, potato starch, tapioca starch, and arrowroot all work well. Choose whichever you prefer and mix in your favorite spices (think along the lines of garlic powder, mustard, and chili) and lightly coat the tofu pieces. For extra crispiness, you can also use panko.
Step #4
Coat the bottom of a non-stick skillet with a few tablespoons of oil. Once hot, cook the tofu over medium-high heat. Only turn over the pieces once they have been released from the pan and keep cooking until they are golden brown all over. Then, remove the tofu and place it on a cooling rack or paper towel to soak up the oil so the pieces don’t go soggy.
