Tofu is a great source of plant protein, and this fried hoisin tofu recipe adds flavor and protein to a boring bowl of rice and vegetables.
I have a confession to make: I don’t like the texture of tofu. Tofu is a great source of protein, and it can act like a meat substitute in dishes. Over the years, I’ve learned the best ways to cook tofu to make it flavorful and less spongy. So, if you’re new to the world of tofu, or you’re not so sure about it, try out some of the cooking techniques in this recipe.
Let’s talk about hoisin tofu ingredients:
Hoisin sauce is a sweet and umami-rich sauce commonly used to glaze meat in Chinese cuisine. It is made with fermented soy sauce. Make sure you get a gluten-free brand like this one if you eat gluten free.
Gochujang is a Korean fermented chili paste that adds some spice and sweetness to dishes. You can find gochujang sauces in various heat levels. Some sauces are made with malted barley, so again make sure you are buying a GF brand if necessary. Here, we’re using diluting the gochujang sauce with water to use as the wet part of dredging the tofu.
Culinary Skill: Cooking Tofu
Buy the right type
Tofu comes in different firmness levels, and you need to buy the right tofu for the job. For example, silken tofu is the softest type. People use it in smoothies, puddings, and sauces, but it definitely won’t work for frying. I’d recommend buying super firm tofu if you’re not sure because it’s less spongy.
Freeze it?
Did you know you can store tofu in your freezer. I always like to have some on hand for recipes. I keep it in the freezer so I don’t have to worry about it going bad. Some recipes call for freezing and thawing tofu to change the texture a bit and make it a better meat substitute. Tofu is its own thing, and doesn’t need to be compared to meat. It’s just tofu in dishes. That being said, it can also be a good base to use if you are trying to replicate meat-based dishes.
Press your tofu
Tofu is full of liquid which changes the texture and prevents it from cooking correctly if the water isn’t pressed out. You can buy pre-pressed tofu where most of the water has already been removed if you want to skip a step. To press tofu, I lay some paper towels (you could use tea towels too) on a plate and place the block of tofu on top. Then another layer of paper towels and put something heavy like a pot or another plate on top. Let the tofu sit for about 15 minutes. You can apply gentle pressure but you don’t want to rip the tofu either. I would still give pre-pressed tofu a small press to remove the remaining water left.
Searing protein
To sear protein, including tofu, you need your protein to be dry. A chef I used to work with would always say moisture is the enemy of browning. So whether you’re taking your tofu out of a brine or a marinade or if you’re searing the tofu plain, make sure you give it one more pat dry so you can get crispy tofu!
Also, check out my vegetable fried rice post here to learn about how to make fried rice. You can serve this hoisin tofu on top!
Fried Hoisin Tofu
Ingredients
- ½ block super firm tofu
- 2 tbsp gochujang sauce
- 2 tsp water
- ¼ cup flour
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp ginger
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2 cups vegetable oil
- ¼ cup hoisin sauce
Instructions
- Cut a block of super firm tofu in half lengthwise. If it has not been pre-pressed, put the tofu on a plate on a paper towel, and then put another plate or something heavy on top for about 15 minutes to remove excess liquid. If the tofu has been pre-pressed, still press down with paper towels using your hand to remove any excess liquid. Once it's been pressed, cut the tofu into about half-inch pieces.
- Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a skillet over medium heat and add the tofu. Sear the sides of the tofu until light golden brown. This step is optional but highly recommended for a firmer end result.
- To set up dredging, to one bowl add the gochujang sauce and water and mix with a fork. To a second bowl, add the flour, onion powder, garlic powder, ginger, and salt.
- et up the frying oil by adding vegetable oil to a large skillet over medium high heat.
- To bread the tofu, dip the pieces into the gochujang sauce to cover, and then toss in the flour mixture. Set aside all the breaded tofu.
- When you are ready to fry, test one piece in the oil. It should immediately sizzle. If it does not, remove the piece and wait for the oil to heat up more. When the oil is hot, add the pieces around the pan, but do not overcloud the pan. Flip the pieces after about 1 minute, and remove and place on a plate when golden brown. .
- Finally, add the the hoisin sauce to a sauce pan to heat it up, and toss the tofu pieces in the sauce to coat. Serve over rice and veggies, or whatever else you'd like.