We need to talk about tofu.
Im begging you to reconsider.
Ive loved tofu my whole meat-eating life, and Im here to convert the naysayers.
Welcome to my Tofu Manifesto.
Sure, itcanbe that if it needs tobut tofus closest animal protein analog is actually the egg.
Tofu only tastes as good as the sauce its served intexture is basically the whole point.
Your tofu journey begins here.
It also adds as much work to your dinner prep as boiling pasta.
This isnt a recipe postits all about the technique.
With their honeycomb-like interiors exposed, these puffy little nuggets soak up sauce like nobodys businesswithoutcompromising their crispiness.
Those two ingredients are obviously nothing alike, but the swap totally works thanks to the insanely powerful sauce.
Having made this dish with chicken dozens of times, I have to sayI prefer the puffs.
You dont need much marinade; a shallow layer is plenty.
Left uncooked, they all have a texture best described as rubbery, with no discernible flavor at all.
Their highest calling is getting crispy in a hot skillet and doused in a flavorful sauce.
Heres my usual procedure for a standard one-pound block.
Once the edges start to brown, I flip it over and do the same on the other side.
I make the recipe exactly as written, exceptobviouslyI leave the pork out.
you’re free to also use tofu crumbles like ground beef.
Its notbeefy, exactly, but it tastes incredible in its own rightand makes a killer vegan-friendly crunchwrap filling.
In that case, roasted tofu is for you.
The results are directly comparable to pan-fryingthey just take a little longer to get there.
Start with soaked, drained tofu, preferably cut into triangles or flat slabs so theyre easy to flip.
Arrange on a clean towel and let them dry out while your oven preheats to 450oF.
Place a sheet pan on the lowest oven rack.
The crispy roasted tofu, however,slapped.
They cant all be bangers; such is the nature of experimentation.
Yes, its bland.
Unseasoned coagulated soy milk isnt going to blow your mind with super-concentrated umami or whatever.
But when prepared correctly, soft tofu is more than just deliciousits absolutely sublime.
I will go to bat for it all day long, and I wouldloveto tell you why.
The dish that changed my mind about silken tofu came from Biwa, a now-closed izakaya-style bar in Portland.
I ordered it every time, and my friends would always be likeCold tofu?Why?
But if I could convince them to take a bite, theyd understand.
It was like eating a deeply savory panna cotta.
But this time, I decided to follow my vision and make a variant Im calling Oops!
This was one of the most delicious things Ive ever made.
