Tofu isn’t the most popular of foods, but maybe it’s not tofu’s fault. Maybe you should learn how to stir-fry tofu to get the most out of this food. We will share how right now!
One of the problems with tofu is that it can easily end up soggy or bland when cooked. But if you learn how to stir-fry tofu, you will get much better results, that might end up on your dinner rotation constantly: golden tofu, soft on the inside and oozing good flavors, with a crispy outer layer to die for! After you’ve cooked it to perfection, combine it with any stir-fried vegetable you want and you have a nice, warm meal!
How to stir-fry tofu in 10 easy steps
1. Gather your ingredients
You will need to buy extra-firm or firm tofu, which has less liquid than the other types. Extra-firm is usually better. The thing is there are also two wide tofu categories, silken and cottony. And the one you want to use is the cottony one.
To cook the tofu, you’ll require some vegetable oil and a pinch of salt. Don’t forget the wok, the chef’s knife, a spatula, and some paper towels. You will need them all!
2. Drain and rinse the tofu
Remove the tofu from its packaging and run it under cold water. Rinse it as well as you can.
3. Cut the tofu into cubes
For cooking and for pressing the tofu (the next step), you will need to cut the tofu into cubes. Make sure you cut them as even as you can, so that the cooking happens evenly, too.
4. Help tofu release liquid
You’ll need the tofu to release even more liquid, even if it’s extra-firm, so it can end up cooked amazingly. So set some paper towels on a flat surface, add the tofu cubes on it, cover with more paper towels and then put something heavy on top, like a cook book, if you have an extra heavy one. Let the tofu press for at least 20 minutes. Check on the towels and if they’re soaked in liquid, replace them.
5. Heat wok
Set the stovetop to high heat and put the wok on it.
6. Add oil
When the wok is heated, add the oil and swirl the wok to make sure it’s distributed evenly.
7. Cook the tofu
Add the tofu to the wok and make sure it’s in a single layer. Cook for about a minute, until the bottoms begin to brown.
8. Season
Add the salt to the tofu in the wok.
9. Stir-fry
Move the tofu around the pan quickly, but also be gentle with it. It might crumble a little, but it’s natural.
10. Serve
Remove from the wok. But remember: this tofu should be eaten while hot, so if you have other things to stir-fry, don’t forget to add the tofu again at the end of your dish.
