PAN FRIED SESAME TOFU WITH BROCCOLI

had a huge triumph today. I finally successfully made tofu. I’ve tried cooking with tofu in the past and could never really get it to be the right flavor or texture. When I cooked it in a skillet it would fall apart, when I baked it in the oven it would be bland and lifeless. Today, though, today was 100% success! This Pan Fried Sesame Tofu with Broccoli had texture, it had flavor, and none of that bland mushiness that I’ve always ended up with in the past!

I was almost to the point where I believed that I’d never get tofu right, but I got inspired the other day and started looking up tutorials. I found this tutorial on How to Make Crispy Tofu without Deep-Frying over at TheKitchn.com and decided to give it a try. The technique involves pressing out excess liquid, seasoning with salt (or marinating), coating with cornstarch, and then shallow pan frying until golden and crispy all over. I really wasn’t prepared for just how nice and crispy the tofu would turn out. It was simply amazing. Just as good as deep-fried (IMHO)!!

INGREDIENTS

SAUCE

• 1/4 cup soy sauce 
• 2 Tbsp water 
• 1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil 
• 2 Tbsp brown sugar 
• 2 Tbsp rice vinegar 
• 1 Tbsp grated fresh ginger 
• 2 cloves garlic, minced 
• 2 Tbsp sesame seeds 
• 1 Tbsp cornstarch 

STIR FRY

• 14 oz block extra-firm tofu 
• Pinch of salt 
• 2 Tbsp cornstarch 
• 2 Tbsp neutral oil (vegetable, canola, peanut) 
• 1/2 lb frozen broccoli florets 
• 3-4 green onions, sliced 
• 4 cups cooked rice 

INSTRUCTIONS

• Place a few folded paper towels or a clean, lint-free dish cloth on a large plate. Remove the tofu from the package and place it on the towels. Place more towels on top, cover with a second plate, and then weigh the top plate down with a few canned goods or a pot filled with water. Press the tofu for at least 30 minutes to extract excess water (refrigerate if pressing for longer).
• While the tofu is pressing, prepare the sauce so that the flavors have time to blend. In a small bowl combine the soy sauce, water, sesame oil, brown sugar, rice vinegar, grated ginger, minced garlic, sesame seeds, and cornstarch. Stir until the brown sugar and cornstarch are dissolved, then set the sauce aside.
• Cut the pressed tofu into 1-inch cubes, then season with a pinch of salt. Sprinkle 1 Tbsp cornstarch over the cubes, then toss to coat. Repeat with the second tablespoon of cornstarch, or until the tofu cubes have a nice even coating of cornstarch.
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full recipe : www.budgetbytes.com

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