Sunday, October 6, 2013

Crispy Breaded Tofu Strips

I found this recipe on OhSheGlows.com while looking for a breaded fake-meat dish that doesn't call for oil (though this one does call for greasing the baking sheet).  I'm guessing if this works out, I can use the same breading mixture on seitan, or even just cook my tasty breaded seitans in the oven without frying them first in the skillet.  This recipe is meant to resemble chicken fingers and closely resembles the tofu strips I made for po'boy sandwiches a few weeks ago.  

Ingredients



  • 1 package firm or extra firm tofu
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk (or other milk)
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch
  • 1/3 cup cornmeal
  • 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
  • 1/2 tsp chipotle chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/8 tsp fresh ground black pepper

  • Directions

    1. Press tofu: Rinse the tofu with water and place a couple kitchen towels on the counter. Wrap the tofu with another towel, place another towel on top, and finally several heavy cookbooks on top. Let sit for at least 20 minutes to soak out the water.

    2. Meanwhile, whisk together the milk and cornstarch in a shallow dish. In another bowl, mix together the cornmeal, breadcrumbs, salt, and spices. Set aside. Preheat oven to 400F and grease a baking sheet with oil or nonstick spray.

    3. Slice tofu into 8-9 strips, lengthwise, depending on how thick you want them. With one hand dip the tofu strip into the milk mixture and then into the cornmeal/breadcrumb mixture. Use other hand to sprinkle dry mixture all over the tofu. Coat both sides entirely and then place on baking sheet. Repeat with the rest.

    4. Bake tofu on middle rack at 400F. Bake for 20 minutes, then flip the tofu, and then bake for another 15-20 minutes until crispy. Remove and serve with ketchup or dip of your choice.

    [Edited 10/11/2013:  I used Panko for the breadcrumbs, and these were really good and crispy.  They also retained their crust better than any of the pan-fried breaded seitan or tofu I've ever made.  I reduced the cayenne to just a dash since it's hard to say how a toddler will take "a kick of heat," and they turned out surprisingly bland, based on how many other spices were in there.  I tried them with spicy mustard and ketchup and got the impression they would probably be at their best (at least the way I seasoned them, with very little cayenne) with either honey mustard dipping sauce or some sort of chipotle aioli.]
    [Edited 11/10/2013: I alter the spices every time I make this dish in an attempt to perfect it.  It's still not there yet, but I changed the recipe above to reflect the best version I've had so far.]

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