Fried Tofu : Sweet or Savory
I found the simplest way to make fried tofu that can turn out two different ways:
- The savory version is perfect with some greens that you can saute in the same pan you fried the tofu in
- The sweet version has an "eggy" consistency, so you can use it as a vegan version of French toast.
This is what the fried tofu looks like after it's fried and while paper towels are soaking up any excess oil:
Basic ingredients:
- Firm or extra-firm tofu works best
- Savory spices: Vary it up, but I used Chinese Five-spice, ginger, salt, and soy sauce.
- Sweet spices: I used cinnamon and coconut sugar.
- Oil: I used spray oil (like Pam). For the sweet version, coconut oil works well, and I like olive oil for the savory version.
Prep for Sweet or Savory Fried Tofu
Drain the water out of the container. To make sure I get as much water out as possible, I like to put the blocks in a colander, cover with a paper towel, and even put a weight on top. For a weight, I used a half-empty jar of peanut butter, but you can use what you have.
While you drain the tofu, oil a pan:
- For the sweet version, I like to use coconut oil spray.
- For the savory version, olive oil spray works great.
If you don't use spray oils, just coat the pan with oil.
Then turn the heat on to something like medium-low. You want the oil to heat up, but you don't want to burn it.
After you have gotten as much water out of the tofu as you can, cut slices of about one to one and one-half inch. It's easier to cook with fairly thin slices, but you don't want to make them so thin that they fall apart.
To season the tofu:
- For the sweet version, I used a sprinkle of cinnamon and coconut sugar.
- For the savory version, I used Chinese Five Spice, ginger, a sprinkle of salt, and a sprinkle of low-sodium soy sauce.
Frying Your Sweet or Savory Tofu
I like to fry the tofu over a fairly low heat source, so they don't burn. It might take about 20 minutes, and you need to flip them often. I kept my stove at medium-low, but stoves differ, so you'll have to use your judgement.
After the outsides were nice and crispy, I drained the tofu slices again with paper towels in a basket. That's the original picture shown up above.
- For the savory version, I sauteed a little spinach in the same pan I fried the tofu in, and that came out great.
- For the sweet version, you could serve the tofu with fruit, jam, or of course, syrup. It has a slightly eggy texture to it, so you can make it as much like regular French toast as you want.
Honestly, I've just eaten them straight out of the pan once they cooled before. For a simple thing to make with tofu, these are healthy and surprisingly good.
Do You Have Any Feedback, Variations, or Comments
Look, I'm a decent cook but not a professional food photographer. :) I think the sweet version would work well for breakfast if you're enjoying Meatless Monday or Tofu Tuesday. The savory version makes a good snack or protein for lunch or supper. If you have a family to feed, you might need to use one box of tofu for about every two to three people.
If you follow me, you know that I always vote upon and comment upon RELEVANT comments. If you're a vegan or just trying to omit meat from some of your meals, I think you'll enjoy this recipe. Do you have any other variations, or have you tried a similar recipe.