These tofu fingers are my favorite excuse to eat fried food. If you're trying to cut back on calories and fat, however, you can bake them in a 400 F oven for about 20 minutes.
NOTE: this recipe calls for Chinese-style extra firm tofu, which is the kind of tofu that you'll find water-packed in a refrigerated section of the grocery store. Silken tofu, the kind that usually comes in 12.3-ounce boxes and can be stored on the shelf or in the fridge, will not work for this recipe. Confused? Read more about the different kinds of tofu.
Prep Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 2 hours
Yield: About 4 servings
Ingredients:
- 1 lb Chinese-style extra firm tofu, pressed
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 t. salt, plus more for seasoning
- 1 t. ground black pepper, plus more for seasoning
- 1/4 cup canola oil
Preparation:
1. Cut the pressed tofu into 12-16 "finger"-sized pieces, each about 1/2" thick. Pour the vegetable broth into a large, sealable ziploc bag and gently add the tofu fingers into the liquid. Seal the bag, place the bag in the refrigerator, and let the tofu soak for 1-2 hours.
2. Drain the broth from the tofu and discard. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine the panko bread crumbs, flour, salt and black pepper until well mixed. Roll each tofu "finger" gently in the mixture until well coated.
3. Heat the canola oil in large frying pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Add the tofu fingers to the pan, taking care not to let them touch one another. Fry until crisp and golden brown, turning the "fingers" to brown them on all sides. Transfer tofu to a paper-towel lined plate and season with salt and black pepper to taste. Serve immediately.
