Dry Fry Tofu

Although tofu constantly gets a bad name and often a groan if mentioned in some circles, we have learned to like it if it is properly prepared. We're no more fond of its slimy texture than anyone else, but if you're still preparing it the slimy way, then listen up! My daughter, Melissa, told me about a cooking method for tofu that makes it so much more palatable, and it actually feels a lot like chicken in your mouth. We've used this method about a half dozen times over the past two months, and it works!

I followed the directions here:

Dry-Fried and Marinated Tofu
    One 16 ounce brick of extra-firm tofu for every four people.
    Cutting board and knife
    Cloth Napkin or dish towel
    Teflon pan OR a very well-seasoned cast-iron pan *
    Spatula
    Prepared marinade in a bowl (see recipes at end for suggestions)

* A note on the pan: If you use a normal cooking pan like stainless steel or other varieties that don't have a non-stick coating, you will most likely have a lot of trouble with the tofu sticking to the pan, since no oil is used. Teflon isn't supposed to be dangerous at low to medium heat, but to be safe I've switched to using a very well-seasoned cast-iron pan.  As long as I'm careful to watch it, I don't have trouble with sticking.

Preparation:
(First, prepare your marinade. See recipes at the bottom of the page.)

Tofu comes packed in water. Drain the tofu and cut it so that your pieces are a half an inch thick. For most recipes, you will want to then cut it into triangles, but some recipes call for strips.

Put the tofu pieces between two absorbent cloth napkins or woven dish towels (NOT terry cloth) and gently press, enough to get a lot of water out but not hard enough to squish it.

Dry-frying:
Use a Teflon or well-seasoned cast-iron pan at medium heat on an electric range, low to medium-low on a gas range. Slow cooking is the key to keeping the tofu from sticking to the Teflon and insures that the water has time to evaporate out before the outside is browned. Do NOT use oil. You want to leech all of the moisture out of your tofu, so do not use oil--leave the pan dry.

Place your tofu in the pan leaving room around pieces. You may need to fry a few batches to give it enough room. As the tofu cooks, use a spatula to frequently press down on each piece. You will see the water seeping out and sizzling in the pan. Once the bottom sides are very firm and golden in color, flip the tofu pieces and fry the other side, again frequently pressing each piece with a spatula. When they are golden and firm on both sides, they are done.

Marinade:

The dry-frying method has left your tofu dry and firm, ready to suck up the flavors of a marinade like a sponge. Place the tofu pieces in the marinade and stir well, making sure the tofu is submerged. Marinate for at least a half an hour and then use this delicious firm and flavorful tofu in a stir-fry.

Marinade Recipes:

Here are some example marinades that work well with dry-fried tofu. These marinades also do well with meat.

The following Marinades should work for one 16 ounce block of tofu after frying.

Simple, All-purpose Tofu Marinade:
    1/2 cup Braggs Liquid Aminos (for a salty, smoky flavor)
    Splash of rice vinegar
    1/2 large sweet onion, diced
    5 cloves garlic, crushed
    water to cover

Chinese Tofu Marinade:
    1/2 cup shoyu (or soy sauce)
    1/4 cup rice wine (or sherry)
    1 clove garlic, crushed
    1/2 tbsp fresh ginger, grated or crushed
    1 tsp palm sugar (or brown sugar)

Thai Tofu Marinade:
    1/2 cup fish sauce (or soy sauce)
    1/2 cup rice wine (or sherry)
    1/4 cup palm sugar (or brown sugar)
    Splash of rice vinegar
    Juice from 1/2 lime
    1 small shallot (or half onion), finely minced
    1 tbsp chili paste
    1 tbsp finely minced lemon grass (fresh or dried)

My notes:

Even though they say no terry cloth towels, I use them and they work fine.

I am not fond of Teflon cookware and don't have any except for a griddle. I dry fry mine on the griddle and there's just enough room for one pound of tofu to fit on there.

We use whatever sauce we throw together and I just toss the dry fried tofu and the sauce together in a pan and heat it up, allowing the tofu to absorb the sauce.

I only use organic tofu. All other tofu is GMO, and that's not for me and mine!

If you haven't tried tofu before, this is a perfect way to start. Let me know how it turns out and what kinds of sauces you use. I love new ideas!