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pan fried crispy tofu in a bowl with scallions

Pan Fried Tofu

Julia | The Yummy Bowl
Enjoy delicious crispy tofu that has plenty of flavors! Easy to make, with no long pressing and messing with the tofu. All are made in one pan, 25 minutes, and is gluten free and vegan-friendly. Serve with your favorite gluten-free noodles dish (soba), fried rice and buddha bowls and so much more.
5 from 3 votes
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Asian
Servings 4 servings

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INGREDIENTS
  

For Tofu

  • 1 pack extra firm tofu, or just firm tofu, not silky
  • 2-3 tablespoons oil for cooking
  • 2 tablespoon cornstarch

For Marinade

  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce, gluten-free
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil, toasted is preferred

INSTRUCTIONS
 

  • Drain the tofu, and press it between two kitchen towels to remove as much liquid as possible. Or you can place a small cutting board on block tofu and press gently until most of the water will come out. Don’t press too strong as some parts may crumble slightly, and if it happens that's fine, they don't have to be precise uniform sizes!
  • Getting out the extra moisture is highly recommended for the crispy result but if you get at least some water out it is already good. Cut the tofu into thick cubes about 2-3 inches, and toss in cornstarch until fully covered.
  • Mix all the marinade ingredients in a bowl, and set aside. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat with enough oil to fry this amount of tofu (about 2-3 tablespoons).
  • Season tofu with a little salt and black pepper. Pan fry for 2-3 minutes on all sides until browned slightly and crisp. This is the longest part as you’ll have to carefully flip each tofu cube. (My best recommendation for this is to use chopsticks). Reduce the heat to low and stir in the sauce coating all the tofu.
  • Cook the tofu for 2 minutes gently coating with the sauce during this time. Serve with green onions, and sesame seeds.

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