Vietnamese Tofu in tomato sauce-an easy under 30 minutes vegan recipe (2024)

FAQs

How do you make tofu not boring? ›

Heat vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high. Add the tofu to the pan, making sure not to overcrowd the pan (otherwise it'll steam). Cook the tofu until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes per side.

Because there's more whey in medium-firm tofu, it may break up during vigorous stir-frying, and pan-frying can lead to sad, deflated tofu planks. How to Prep: Pressed, drained, salt-soaked, or frozen. Best Uses: Battered, stir-fried, baked, and fermented.

Tofu pieces are fried until crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. They are then dipped in a savory scallion fish sauce mixture, and they turn from boring into flavorful tofu. Watch how quick and easy to make this classic Northern Vietnamese dish in the video below.

What to not serve with tofu? According to studies, a high volume consumption of tofu and spinach together can increase your risk of kidney stones. Tofu and spinach contain calcium and oxalic acid respectively and the combined can form kidney stones.

Marinate it: Tofu can be marinated in a variety of flavorful sauces or spices. You can use soy sauce, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, and other seasonings to make a simple marinade. Let the tofu marinate for at least 30 minutes (or up to a few hours) before cooking or grilling.

Cut tofu into cubes. Step 2: Place those cubes in a bowl, and toss gently with 1-2 tablespoons of cornstarch. Step 3: Arrange tofu on a parchment-lined baking sheet and drizzle with some olive oil and salt. Step 4: Bake at 425 degrees for 25 minutes, or until as crispy as you'd like.

Baked, Not Fried.

My method for baking tofu produces tofu that's chewy, but it's cooked in the oven, making it much healthier.

Nutritionally, tofu offers much to love. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, half a cup of firm tofu offers 21.8 grams of protein with 181 calories and 11 grams of fat. Most of that fat is of the healthy polyunsaturated kind. The high level of protein makes tofu a good alternative to animal-derived meat.

Boiling extracts some of water somehow, making it easier to fry, but it does it without compressing the tofu, so you get delightful spongey insides instead of dense tofu bricks. It also extracts the water more evenly than squeezing it out, especially if you squeeze precubulation. Plus, the salted water seasons them.

What do you season tofu with? ›

Baked Tofu Ingredients

Oil: Olive oil, or whatever your preferred cooking oil may be. Cornstarch: This is the magic ingredient that helps make tofu (as well as many other foods) extra-crispy in the oven. Seasonings: I typically just use a mixture of garlic powder, sea salt and black pepper to season my tofu.

What to serve with tofu. These easy tofu meals go well with white rice, toasted bread, or noodles.

Cut the tofu into bite-sized pieces. Deep or shallow fry in oil until both sides are golden and crispy, then remove from heat. Thinly slice the shallot or yellow onion and cut the tomatoes into cubes. Back in the oil, add the minced shallot, and tomato cubes, and stir-fry until the tomato cubes are softened.

The soy milk goes into a big pot and is boiled for 15 to 20 minutes over a hot charcoal stove. Next, a spoonful of table salt is added to enhance the tofu's rubbery texture, and an acidic coagulant is added to separate the off-white tofu curds from the yellowy soy whey.

Why Chinese love fermented bean curd and even stinky tofu: it's cheap, adds flavour to rice and congee, is a good source of protein, and lots more.

Not Using Enough Seasoning

"Coat tofu generously in herbs, spices, and sauces. You can marinate it before or after cooking, just make sure you use plenty of seasonings like ginger and garlic, soy sauce, sweet and sour sauce, green onions, vinegar, cajun seasoning, and other strong flavors," she says.

Marinate your tofu thoroughly

You want to marinate your tofu for as long as possible. You can get away with 30 minutes, but try to marinate your tofu cubes or slices overnight in the fridge if you can. You'll taste the difference!