A recipe to make us fall in love with tofu

[BirdsAreDinosInDisguise]

I’ve been gradually cooking and eating more veggie meals. This week I bought tofu (extra firm if it matters). What should I make that will make us fall in love with tofu?

I squeeze some of the moisture out, cut into cubes, marinate in a little soy sauce and coat in cornflour. Then, air fry (with a little bit of oil). It's so delicious. I tend to use it in ramen but also works added to stir fries.

It's just a vehicle for other flavours. So marinate well. Stick it in a stir fry.

If you aren't a huge fan of the taste or texture of tofu, then Felicity Cloake's vegan ragù is perfect.I chopped up the tofu and vegetables into a fine dice. The recipe is rich and delicious, and while tofu gives it body and texture, it's not dominant so perfect if you're more of a tofu sceptic.

Meera Sodha's vegan banh mi is more tofu forward than the ragu, it's an absolute banger, and as the tofu is finely chopped/minced, it might be a good intro dish. It's sharp, spicy, crunchy, fresh and comes together so quickly. It's probably my favourite tofu recipe.

My favourite tofu forward recipe is Ottolenghi‘s black pepper tofu. It's amazing. Totally packed with flavour and the firey sauce pairs so well with the relatively bland tofu.

Mapo tofu! Fuchsia Dunlop recipe asks for silken but you can use any type (I actually prefer it with firm). Use this chili bean paste and you can skip the black beans.

Anything you'd make with meat I guess, though it works best with some spicing. Just make sure you properly fry it off before adding to any sauces, it needs to be crispy on the outside for extra yums. Like a PP said, coat in cornflour and fry.

Thanks all. I’m leaning towards Ottolenghi’s black pepper tofu but mapo tofu also looks good.

Might need to buy more tofu to try both.

My whole family love this https://www.sainsburysmagazine.co.uk/recipes/mains/sticky-soy-and-sesame-tofu-with-broccoli-rice

Rainbow Plant Life on YouTube has some fab tofu recipes. She's American so you need to fiddle some of the ingredients and quantities but it's easy enough to do. Her spice levels are hot, be warned.

Love the recipes above. A comment on the prep for tofu.
Buying the right one is key. If it comes in a tray, even if it says hard or firm, leave it on the shelf. You need one that comes simply wrapped in plastic. Remove the water by squeezing the bloc with kitchen paper, then replace the moisture lost with a marinade.
Do not overcook the tofu.

This is popular in our house https://www.bosh.tv/recipes/crispy-chilli-tofu

make Maangchi's sweet and crunchy tofu. Make twice the amount because it is amazing.

Sweet and Crunchy Tofu (Dubu-gangjeong: 두부강정) recipe by Maangchi