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Crunchy Garlic Tofu (FM)
Recipes | November 12, 2017
*yields one portion
Ingredients:
1 package firm tofu (14 – 16oz)
5 tbsp arrow root powder
1/4 cup + 1 tbsp avocado oil
10 garlic cloves, minced
1 heaping tbsp ginger, minced
1/2 jalapeรฑo pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
1 red onion sliced into rounds
1/2 tsp sesame oil
1 tbsp maple syrup
Salt & Pepper
Instructions:
1. Cut tofu into small cubes and use paper towel to soak up as much liquid from the tofu as possible.
2. Place the tofu cubes into a bowl, sprinkle them with arrowroot powder and shake the bowl to coat them evenly. Set aside.
3. Heat 1/4 cup avocado oil in a large non stick sauce pan over medium heat and then add the coated tofu. It should sizzle when you add it. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for 9-10 minutes until golden brown.
4. Take out of the pan and place on a brown paper (or paper bag placed on a plate) to soak up the oil.
5. Use the same pan, add the remaining tbsp avocado oil and saute the onions and jalapeรฑo until they become soft. Then add the ginger, garlic and sesame oil and saute for another minute.
6. Add the tofu back into the pan, stir to combine and drizzle with maple syrup. Cook for another minute and then serve.
Macros:
Calories: 741.5
Carbs: 82.7 g
Net Carbs: 74.9 g
Fat: 34.4 g
Protein: 34.3 g
Private Member |
canberra, act, australia
Arrow root powder, I don’t know what is that but sounds like I need to go shopping to get some ๐ I’ll try to cook this next week, Thanks for sharing ๐
Private Member |
ellijay, ga, united states
It’s a thickener…it can be swapped with corn starch in a pinch, but arrowroot is healthier. ๐
I’m a little bummed at myself because I JUST used the rest of our tofu last week, and this looks delicious! That’s going right back on my grocery list! ๐
Private Member |
boise, id, united states
Zuzka,
Do you consider maple syrup in recipes to be a WEM?
I follow the FM/WEM pretty closely and use pure maple syrup in my recipes often and would to strategize the best I can.
Private Member |
I should really invest in a tofu press, because my tofu always breaks up because it’s too soggy. ๐
Private Member |
u can find hard tofu, there are different types ๐
Private Member |
I get the extra firm tofu. Maybe I just don’t have patience. ๐
Private Member |
I had this problem for a long time. Don’t know how many times I hollered to the family “guess we’re having scrambled tofu again!” Here’s a method I found that works great. Buy firm or extra firm tofu. Drain the water and wrap the block in a lint free kitchen towel a thick absorbent one works best. Put a cast iron skillet or I use my five pound disk weight on top of it. Let it sit for 30 minutes. Heat up a nonstick skillet medium high and add a tablespoon of coconut or sesame oil. You want the tofu to sizzle when it hits the pan. Cut the block width wise into 1/2″ slabs I usually get ten slabs per block. Let the slabs cook undisturbed 8-10 minutes to really brown. Carefully turn over and cook the other side which usually takes a couple minutes less. Drain on paper towels and then cut into smaller squares. If you’re putting it in a recipe like this probably don’t need to season it. If you’re eating it by itself or in a salad or sandwich then sprinkle each side with salt and paprika when it’s cooking. Hope this helps!
Private Member |
Ten cloves of garlic in one serving! WOW! ๐
Private Member |
seattle, washington
It is cooked. If you should have garlic breath try chewing a few coffee beans.
Private Member |
hailey, id
this sounds amazing…. Tofu is not something I choose very much because I’ve heard how bad it is for us ….
I don’t really know, but I’ve chosen not to buy it for about 4 years now.
Still – I’m thinking this would be a great recipe with something like broccoli, even … with bacon.. ๐
……and it sounds amazing enough that I’d make it with tofu, even – and black sesame seeds
๐
Private Member |
ฤeskรฉ budฤjovice, czech republic
There is absolutely nothing wrong with tofu, I’ve been eating it every day for almost two years (and I have been diagnosed with underactive thyroid years ago – it has no effect at all ๐ )… just buy the non-GMO products and it’s fine. ๐ And I think this recipe would also taste great with chicken, but broccoli sounds great too! ๐
Private Member |
lake tahoe, nv, usa
You know, I understand your hesitation and I too am not 100% comfortable with highly processed soy products even if it says NO GMO on the package. That said, I really wanted to try to cook with tofu and see if I like it enough to replace meat with it as part of my plant based diet, but it turns out I’m not a big fan of the taste and neither is Jesse ๐ so tofu is out.. This recipe is not bad because the frying and the arrow root powder makes it tasty.
Private Member |
seattle, washington
Lots of different tofu recipes out there. My ex-partner Mei Ling makes very tasty dishes using it. It all does depend on who is cooking it and how.
Private Member |
hey zuzka!
just wondering if you’re doing the plant-based diet while you create your meal plan, or if it’s switch you’re sticking with ๐
i’ve cut out red meat recently, but i’m not sure i’ll ever be able to give up seafood lol
Private Member |
Iโve heard only tempeh is good for you because itโs a fermented soy product so itโs good for digestion. It tried it a few weeks ago and I see how that makes sense as itโs texture is exactly like beans so it seems really unprocessed to me. Itโs worth doing some research on, Ive started a plant based diet myself trying to stay away from contributing to the cruelty animals have to endure to get to our plate. I loved your meal plan so much if you make a vegan plant based meal plan Iโll definitely purchase that ๐
Private Member |
santa cruz, ca
Tofu should have undergone a fermentation process. Soy should, for the most part, be fermented to be safe for our bodies on the long term. These days, tofu is processed with solidifying agents. You can find fermented tofu in Asian markets, or you can ferment it yourself. Cultures that consumed soy for millenia consumed it in its fermented form, for the most part. I’m not a vegetarian, but I think it’s good to not rely on animal flesh for our protein source all the time. I think tempeh is a better option because the soy is fermented.
Private Member |
Try smoked tofu, omg that is delicious by itself. I’ve been vegan for past 11 years and i eat a lot of tofu and other soy products and i am healthier than ever. When people say soy is bad they most likely read this in a meat industry supported articles. But on the other hand even if you are not vegetarian/vegan you still eat soy products every single day just you are not aware of it. They feed the cattle with GMO soy products!!!! Sadly a big big portion of their diet comes from GMO SOY. ๐ Have you ever thought about that part? In this case all the bad stuff gets into their system, into their meat and milk and then you consume that as well + other hormones and rubbish.
Just a thought to think about …..
Private Member |
Agree with Maya ๐ same with me!
Private Member |
hailey, id
Thank you Z, and everyone, for all the input on the thought of whether tofu is good for us ๐
I like the taste, and have eaten in for at least 30 years, but just recently was informed that it was not healthy for us, at all. I don’t know – I’m just fond of the Asian-influenced recipes and found tofu to be delightful in them. I’ll eat it when it’s presented to me, too. ๐
Private Member |
This is delicious, I think it is the best crispy tofu I’ve ever had- soooo good. You could easily coat this tofu with pretty much any sauce/flavor as well instead of the second part of the recipe (but it’s really delicious as is!). I used a good honey instead of maple syrup because that’s what I had this time. I’m thinking buffalo spicy sauce & blue cheese would be good. You could also do veggies like this coated in arrow root like tempura vegetables. I will definitely have to make this again.
Private Member |
midway, ga, united states
I love tofu!!
And of course, since I’m Japanese I know things or two about tofu but this recipe looks delicious.
Back home, we usually eat tofu, either cold or hot (put in a water and boil it), with soy sauce and ginger on the side.
So, this is a new way to eat tofu for me, but I want to definitely try this next time.
Thanks, Zuzka!!
Private Member |
peoria, az, usa
I made this recipe today and it turned out amazing. I am a tofu fan and had everything except the arrowroot powder so I substituted corn starch and it came out great. This is a favorite for sure.