Fried Tofu

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Over the holidays, I tried an air fryer to try to get more crispy tofu. The result was pretty good, but the fryer seemed like more of a hassle than benefit (wasn't easy to clean, took up a lot of space), so we returned it. Later, with the help of Munira, I discovered that pressing the tofu to get the water out, then frying it, resulted in really delicious tofu that is firm and absorbs the spicing more readily. And no extra appliances! After a few tries, here's a recipe that made some really delicious tofu. Once you get a tofu press, you won't go back!

Ingredients

1 firm tofu, pressed about 20 minutes

1-2 T canola oil
1 tsp black pepper flakes (or to taste)
1/2 tsp black pepper (or to taste)
1 tsp minced garlic
1-2 T soy sauce
1/4 tsp salt

garlic salt to grind on top after (optional)

Instructions

Press the tofu! I really like this extra firm tofu press for that; super fast and easy. A half a cup of water comes out in about 20 minutes. Slice the tofu into 8 rectangles or smaller chunks, as you like.

Saute the pepper, garlic, and salt for about a minute on medium low heat. Add the soy sauce and tofu. Saute 5-10 minutes, flipping periodically, depending on how crispy you like it. Remove and drain on paper towels. Optionally grind a little garlic salt on top!

Below are some photos of pressing the tofu. I crank it tighter after a few minutes, and find that removing about 1/2 a cup of water is about perfect. (But no need to measure; I just did it for the photo :)












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