Tofu is my favorite plant-based protein because of its versatility. While so many people are turned off by its texture, I find that its sponge-like consistency works well in contrast with other ingredients when combined in salads, sandwiches, pasta dishes and stir fry recipes. And tofu’s blandness makes it perfect to sauce up with all kinds of flavors.
Below is my recipe for Tofu Cutlet Cubes. Basically, it’s fried tofu that I didn’t want to call fried tofu outright, but there, I admitted it. Is this the healthiest way to enjoy tofu? No, it’s not, but it’s a great recipe to use to introduce your palate to tofu if you’ve never had it before. This recipe is very basic in that I did not add any additional herbs or spices to it, so you can add it to some of the dishes I mentioned above or alter it a bit to make it the star of an entrée.
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What you need:
1 14oz. block of extra firm tofu, drained (pressing the tofu is optional for this)
1/3 cup of non-dairy milk (I used soy, but other nut-based milks can be used as well)
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 cup of cornstarch
1 large Ziploc bag
Canola or Vegetable oil
A plate or tray lined with paper towels
Steps:
1. Open the tofu and drain the water from the package.
2. Cut the block in half and cut into 4 strips,
3. Then slice the tofu block 5 times across, giving you little tofu cubes.
4. Place tofu in a large zip lock back.
5. Pour 1/3 cup of soy milk into the bag. Seal and shake the bag until the tofu is coated with milk.
6. Put 1/2 a teaspoon of salt into the bag and seal/shake again.
7. Pour 1/2 cup of the cornstarch into the bag. Seal and shake the bag until the tofu is evenly coated.
8. Repeat again with the other 1/2 cup of cornstarch. The tofu will be coated completely with the cornstarch. Any excess milk in the bag will essentially form “gloop” with the cornstarch. That’s normal, just be advised that this can get a little messy!
9. In a sauté pan, pour about 1/4 of an inch of vegetable oil into the pan and heat over medium-high.
10. While the oil is heating, place some paper towels on a plate or tray. This is where you will put the tofu after it is done frying.
11. When the oil has heated, carefully place the tofu cubes into the oil. It will bubble a lot.
12. Turn the tofu every 2-3 minutes until all the sides are golden brown.
13. Remove the tofu from the oil and place the cubes on the paper toweled plate.
14. Let cool the tofu cool for 5-10 minutes
15. Enjoy alone as a snack or add the cubes to salads, sandwiches, pasta dishes, or stir fry recipes, as mentioned above. I topped a pasta dish with this batch!
