I HATE TOFU! (no, not after using this method!)

Dry-Fried and Marinated Tofu

Here are some example marinades that work well with dry-fried tofu. These marinades also do well with meat.

The following Marinades should work for one 16 ounce block of tofu after frying.

Simple, All-purpose Tofu Marinade:
•1/2 cup Braggs Liquid Aminos (for a salty, smoky flavor) I've also used a small amount of Liquid Smoke
•Splash of rice vinegar
•1/2 large sweet onion, diced
•5 cloves garlic, crushed
•water to cover

Chinese Tofu Marinade:
•1/2 cup shoyu (or soy sauce)
•1/4 cup rice wine (or sherry)
•1 clove garlic, crushed
•1/2 tbsp fresh ginger, grated or crushed
•1 tsp palm sugar (or brown sugar)

Thai Tofu Marinade:
•1/2 cup fish sauce (or soy sauce)
•1/2 cup rice wine (or sherry)
•1/4 cup palm sugar (or brown sugar)
•Splash of rice vinegar
•Juice from 1/2 lime
•1 small shallot (or half onion), finely minced
•1 tbsp chili paste
•1 tbsp finely minced lemon grass (fresh or dried)

Calories are for plain tofu. Marinade will add, but not much.

I like to freeze tofu, whole in the package which changes the texture. Drain after defrosted. Then I press a whole block between 2 plates with paper towels on both sides. I use a big can of tomatoes for a weight. Changing towels as necessary. Then I slice into desired shapes, dry fry and marinate.

One 16 ounce brick of extra-firm tofu for every four people.
•Cutting board and knife
•Cloth Napkin or dish towel
•Teflon pan OR a very well-seasoned cast-iron pan
•Spatula
•Prepared marinade in a bowl (see recipes at end for suggestions)

First, prepare your marinade.

Tofu comes packed in water. Drain the tofu and cut it so that your pieces are a half an inch thick. For most recipes, you will want to then cut it into triangles, but some recipes call for strips.

Put the tofu pieces between two absorbent cloth napkins or woven dish towels (NOT terry cloth) and gently press, enough to get a lot of water out but not hard enough to squish it.

Dry-frying:
Use a Teflon or well-seasoned cast-iron pan at medium heat on an electric range, low to medium-low on a gas range. Slow cooking is the key to keeping the tofu from sticking to the Teflon and insures that the water has time to evaporate out before the outside is browned. Do NOT use oil. You want to leech all of the moisture out of your tofu, so do not use oil--leave the pan dry.

Place your tofu in the pan leaving room around pieces. You may need to fry a few batches to give it enough room. As the tofu cooks, use a spatula to frequently press down on each piece. You will see the water seeping out and sizzling in the pan. Once the bottom sides are very firm and golden in color, flip the tofu pieces and fry the other side, again frequently pressing each piece with a spatula. When they are golden and firm on both sides, they are done.

The dry-frying method has left your tofu dry and firm, ready to suck up the flavors of a marinade like a sponge. Place the tofu pieces in the marinade and stir well, making sure the tofu is submerged. Marinate for at least a half an hour and then use this delicious firm and flavorful tofu in a stir-fry.

If you have a half a block of uncooked tofu that you did not use, simply put it in a sealed container completely submerged in water (a zip-lock baggie will do in a pinch, but some sort of Tupperware container is best). Cooked tofu, on the other hand, can be stored just the same as any other leftovers.




Serving Size: 4