One of my favorite things about tofu is that it’s like the vegan version of chicken breast, a completely blank canvas for whatever you want to season it with. I used a pretty basic marinade that packs a lot of flavor with just a few ingredients by using things like soy sauce, garlic and ginger. Sesame seeds and sesame oil add a nice nutty flavor dimension and adding fresh scallion as garnish really brightens up the dish.
Ingredients
- 1 (14 oz) block of extra-firm tofu, drained
- 2 tbsp sesame oil, divided
- 2 tsp rice vinegar
- 4 tsp soy sauce
- 2 large cloves garlic, grated on a microplane
- 1-inch piece ginger, grated on a microplane
- 1/8 tsp black pepper
- 4 tbsp chickpea flour/besan (or any flour you like)
- 2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
- 2 scallions, green and white parts, thinly sliced on an angle
Directions
- To drain the tofu, put it on a paper towel-lined plate; cover it with another paper towel, and then a tray. Weigh the tray down with a heavy object (such as a large can of tomatoes or beans) and let it drain for 30 minutes.
- To make the marinade, whisk together 1 tablespoon of oil, vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, and black pepper in a medium bowl. Cut the tofu in half so you have 2 blocks, then slice each block cross-wise into 6 equal slabs; put the sliced tofu in the marinade and let it sit in the fridge for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Combine the flour and sesame seeds in a shallow dish; dredge both sides of each tofu piece in this mixture. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat; add the tofu and fry until golden on both sides, about 3 minutes per side.
- Serve garnished with scallion.
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