I 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!
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Use Cornstarch for Crispy Tofu
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)!!
Now that I know how to do this, I can’t wait to experiment with more flavors. I seasoned this tofu with just a pinch of salt, knowing that I was about to drench it in yummy sesame sauce, but I still couldn’t stop popping the naked cubes into my mouth. They were so good even on their own! I can only imagine how good they’ll be with other flavors. Stay tuned because that is definitely going to be happening in my kitchen in the near future.
Pan Fried Sesame Tofu with Broccoli
Servings 3Ingredients
SAUCE
- 1/4 cup soy sauce ($0.20)
- 2 Tbsp water ($0.00)
- 1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil ($0.33)
- 2 Tbsp brown sugar ($0.08)
- 2 Tbsp rice vinegar ($0.22)
- 1 Tbsp grated fresh ginger ($0.10)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced ($0.16)
- 2 Tbsp sesame seeds ($0.15)
- 1 Tbsp cornstarch ($0.04)
STIR FRY
- 14 oz block extra-firm tofu ($1.99)
- Pinch of salt ($0.02)
- 2 Tbsp cornstarch ($0.08)
- 2 Tbsp neutral oil (vegetable, canola, peanut) ($0.04)
- 1/2 lb frozen broccoli florets ($1.00)
- 3-4 green onions, sliced ($0.23)
- 4 cups cooked rice ($0.88)
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.
- Heat a large skillet over medium flame. Once hot, add 2 Tbsp oil and tilt the skillet until the bottom is coated in a thick layer of oil. Add the dusted tofu cubes and let cook until golden brown on the bottom. Use a spatula to turn the cubes to an uncooked side, and cook until golden brown again. Continue this process until brown and crispy on all sides, then remove the crispy tofu to a clean plate.
- Add the frozen broccoli to the hot skillet and briefly stir fry until slightly browned on the edges. Don’t worry if it’s not thawed through yet, it will warm through after adding the sauce. Lower the heat to medium-low.
- Give the bowl of sauce a good stir, then pour it into the skillet with the broccoli. Stir and cook until the sauce begins to bubble and thicken (this should happen very quickly). Once thickened, turn off the heat and stir in the cooked tofu cubes.
- Serve the tofu and broccoli over a bed of cooked rice, topped with sliced green onions.
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How to Make Sesame Tofu – Step by Step Photos
Start with a 14oz. package of extra-firm tofu. Yes, I realize this photo is of just “firm” tofu. I was so starry-eyed by the sale sign that I accidentally bought firm instead of extra-firm. Good news is that the only difference is the amount of moisture, so I just pressed my tofu for extra time. Read more about the different tofu varieties here.
Take the block of tofu out of its water filled package. Place some folded up paper towels or clean, lint-free dish towels on a large plate. Place the tofu on the towels, then cover with another set of towels and another plate. Place something heavy on top, like canned goods or a pot with water (a pot with water can be tricky to balance). If you use harsh detergents to wash your dish towels, paper towels might be a better idea. Let the tofu press for about 30 minutes for extra-firm tofu. I had just firm tofu, so I let it go for an hour. If you let it press for extended time, just be sure to put it in the refrigerator. Some people let theirs press all day, it just depends on the texture that you like.
While the tofu is being pressed, prepare the sauce so the flavors have a little time to mingle. In a bowl, combine 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 of minced garlic, 2 Tbsp sesame seeds, and 1 Tbsp cornstarch. Set the sauce aside.
Once the tofu is pressed, cut it into one-inch cubes. If you still feel quite a bit of moisture on the surface, dab it a bit with a dry paper towel. Reducing the surface moisture is part of what helps these little guys get crispy. Season the cubes with a pinch of salt.
Sprinkle 1 Tbsp cornstarch over the cubes, then toss the cubes to coat. Repeat with a second tablespoon of cornstarch, or until the cubes have a decent coating on all sides.
Heat a large skillet over medium flame. Once the surface is hot, add 2 Tbsp of any neutral oil (this can be canola, vegetable, peanut, untoasted sesame oil, etc.) Tilt the skillet to cover the surface of the skillet, then add the cornstarch dusted tofu cubes. Let them cook until golden brown on the bottom. (P.S. waiting until the skillet is hot before adding the oil really helps prevent the cubes from sticking. Using a non-stick skillet or cast iron will also help prevent them from sticking).
Once they’re golden on the bottom, use a spatula to turn them to a new side. Continue cooking…
Keep repeating the process until they’re golden brown on all sides. They should be CRISPY and pretty darn wonderful. Once crispy on all sides, remove them to a clean plate (I just reused one of the plates from pressing).
Add the frozen broccoli right to the skillet, no need to thaw. There should still be some oil in the skillet, too. The tofu absorbed some, but not all of the oil.
Stir fry the broccoli just for a couple of minutes, or until it gets a touch of brown on the edges. Turn the heat down to medium-low (it’s okay if the broccoli is not thawed through at this point, it will continue to cook with the sauce).
Give the bowl of sauce a good stir just before pouring it into the hot skillet. Stir and cook the sauce until it begins to bubble and thicken (this should happen fairly quickly).
Once the sauce is thick and glossy, add the cooked tofu back to the skillet.
Stir to coat the tofu in the sauce.
Spoon the Pan Fried Sesame Tofu and Broccoli over a bed of cooked rice, then top with sliced green onion. NOM.
Seriously, these little crispy tofu bites were so good I could eat the whole lot, sans-sauce. I’m a tofu convert.
I can’t come to terms with frozen broccoli, and my tofu stuck like a MF. However. This was still great. Like all great internet recipe reviews, I changed up major ingredients and it still came out great (subbed oyster mushrooms and bok choy for the broccoli, then thinned down the sauce a little bit). What can I say, I like a flexible recipe!
Also, having been a much earlier convert to tofu than you are, I tossed some in your chana saag recipe last week. It was unsurprisingly excellent : ) My tofu tip would be to bake it next time while your rice is cooking, and consider slicing the block in thinner halves to press. The brand of tofu I happened to pick up at the COFCO super ranch market came already cut into more manageable pieces – easy peasy.
And if you’re looking for more tofu/veg/vegan inspiration, Serious Eats is embarking on vegan week. In case you hadn’t seen that already : )
Whole Foods sells “Golden Sesame Tofu” in their deli/prepared foods section – this recipe reminds me of it, but I’m sure this is even tastier (and less expensive)! I can’t wait to try this! I’ve made several of your recipes, and they’re all great!!
Can’t wait to try this! Looks so yummy! In my tofu experience, pan frying is definitely the way to go. I have never used the cornstarch tip, which I think will be spectacular! In the past, I have dipped the pressed tofu in egg, and then seasoned bread crumbs and pan fried, which is also good, especially with pasta sauce.
I’ve been using a similar technique to make tofu for a while now! I actually bought a tofu press (this one: http://smile.amazon.com/EZ-Tofu-Press-Removes-Texture/dp/B007LLGMG2) and it’s made things much easier/cleaner when I want to make tofu.
Often times though, I just get lazy and crumble up the tofu, mix it with seasonings in a bowl, and then stir-fry it like scrambled eggs.
Thank you for sharing a simple, delicious vegan recipe!
I just made this tofu last night (and posted it on instagram.) It was even better than I expected! I replaced the brown sugar with maple syrup and also seasoned the tofu cubes with a little pepper which worked out super well!
Made this tonight. I have been making pan fried tofu for years, but never coated in corn starch. I really enjoyed this! Thank you.
I made this last night and it was delicious! I was surprised at how easy it was to make. The tofu was great straight out of the fry pan like you said. The only thing I would change next time around is that I’d use slightly less rice vinegar in the future, since I used ginger paste which was slightly acidic. Thank you so much for this delicious recipe :)
As someone who isn’t tofu’s biggest fans, this looks amazing! I’m almost drooling over how delicious those crispy tofu blocks look!
The one way I’ve used tofu lately is in my cheese sauce for mac & cheese! I blend silken tofu with a little fresh ground pepper and then add it to my homemade cheddar sauce. It’s a good way to add a bit more protein and can help cut back on the cheese in the actual sauce. Plus it helps me feel better about chowing down on a bowl ;o) I also add broccoli and/or spinach, so my mac & cheese packs a healthy punch!
I’ll have to try that! :D
I’ve long been subbing tofu, tempeh, seitan, and other plant based prot3ins for the meats and such in your recipes, Beth! :)
May I suggest you try freezing a block of tofu? That also changes the texture, dramatically, and many people (like myself) adore it! I drain it, slice it into four slabs, pop ot into freezer bags, I don’t press it first. Freeze solid. Let thaw in fridge. Then you can wring it out almost like a sponge! It’ll suck up a marinade qyickly, too, and frozen tofu has a dense and chewy flavor, upon cooking, too.
I usually buy Chinese tofu (in the water packed fride case tubs) and always wxtra firm. Though Japanese tofu (shelf stable aseptic packs) has its benwfits, too (I mostly do dessert like things with Japanese atyle tofu as it doesn’t hold its shape as well — it’s awesome blended!).
Tempeh I like to steam to “open up” unless I am doing a stew or curry or other ling-cooking dish. I kove tempeh.
Seitan, if you’ve not had it, is super easy to make at home — and way cheaper than atore bought. No, it’s not a soy thing, of course, but I had to mention it as I’ve used it in place of meat in some of your recipes!
I love that you seem so flexitarian and open to plant based recipes! Thank you!
I’m a long rime fan of your blog and cooking! I so appreciate all you do. :)
OMG, you are my hero! I stopped eating meat recently and have been trying to love tofu, but I haven’t found away to cook it that I could get excited about…until now! I’ll be making this often, maybe when th different veggies to keep it interesting. And you’re so right about the tofu being delicious all on its own. Yum yum yum!
I have never cared much for Tofu so I have never even tried cooking with it. After seeing the tutorial and the pictures of this delicious looking recipe, I am going to give it a try. I can’t wait to see how it turns out.
Just the other day I was thinking that I should ask you to try to make a tofu recipe! I recently discovered pressing tofu and it really really improved the texture of the tofu I bake. (Apparently, freezing and defrosting tofu before you press and marinate it also improves the texture for whatever reason.)
Anyway, I CANNOT WAIT to try this recipe!11“
I made this last night and it was amazing! I substituted soba noodles for rice because I was out, and also added some red pepper I had on hand. The sauce works so well and tastes delicious, and the broccoli turned out perfectly. My husband loved it too! Definitely going to make this again and again!
I love and appreciate all of your vegan/vegetarian recipes, and many of your other recipes are easy to adapt too. Thank you for branching out into tofu, it is a great and cheap protein source that you can flavor in almost any way that you want – it shouldn’t be limited to just vegetarians who eat it. I can’t wait to give this recipe a try and thank you for the many recipes I’ve tried from you – they always turn out great!
Beth! You gotta try baked tofu! Here’s why: press out liquid, cube, bake on oiled sheet 400, flip to get crust on all sides. That’s it! …and I think I might have made it sound more complicated than it is! The texture is really improved too! It does shrink substantially, but I get a huge restaurant size pack at the Asian grocery Assi Plaza.
Love baking my own tofu and it’s so easy! Plus it can be flavores however you want! So m6ch cheaper than buying it prebaked at the store! Awesome note, Christie. :)
I definitely want to try baked next! :)
Delicious!!