Crispy Tofu with Citrus Soy
Ahhh…finally a tofu recipe. This recipe is from Eric Gower’s The Breakaway Cook, which is a wonderful cookbook if you enjoy global flavors. In fact, it inspired me to start playing with Flavored Salts (that’s Sichuan Peppercorn Salt, Citrus Salt and Matcha Green Tea Salt.
Sidenote: these flavored salts would make great presents. Make different batches and package them up in pretty little containers with a bow. Read through the comments on the Flavored Salt post – readers have such great suggestions for salt ideas like Lavender Salt, Kaffir Lime Salt and Chocolate Salt (for popcorn). Its inexpensive and easy to make – the combinations are endless!
For this Crispy Tofu with Citrus Soy, I used panko bread crumbs, ginger, orange, lemon, and of course, my Citrus Salt.
Eric uses rice flakes to coat, but I only had panko bread crumbs on hand, which I grounded fine to almost like a powder:
I deviated from Eric’s recipe just a bit. Here is his original recipe. It’s light, tangy and would be great over Mizuna Greens and Arugula for a salad.
Crispy Tofu with Citrus Soy
Ingredients
- 1 large tofu block (firm), drained and wrapped in paper towels
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh grated ginger (use a microplane grater)
- zest of 1 lemon
- 1/4 cup orange juice
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon mirin
- 1/2 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
- 1/2 cup panko crumbs, finely ground
- salt & pepper
- 1 egg yolk
- Optional ingredients: Citrus Salt, salad greens, Japanese pickled ginger
Instructions
- Combine lemon juice, orange juice, soy, mirin, rice wine vinegar and ginger in a small saucepan. Simmer on low for 5 minutes. Season with salt, pepper and lemon zest. Taste. Sometimes I like to add a little more zing...and add in just a touch more rice wine vinegar, especially if I'm serving it with salad.
- Slice tofu block in half, horizontally, so you have 2 thinner pieces of tofu. Pat tofu halves dry. Arrange in this order: tofu, egg yolk, panko. You can either dip the block in the egg yolk, or use a large pastry brush to brush on a light layer top and bottom. Press both sides of tofu in the panko firmly. In nonstick skillet, heat 1-2 tbl of cooking oil on med-high heat. When oil is hot, but not smoking, carefully slide in the tofu halves. Do not let them touch. Fry each side 2-4 minutes until you have a nice, brown crust. Manage your heat - you may have to turn your heat up or down depending on your stovetop.
- Arrange tofu on plates, spoon a bit of Citrus Soy sauce on top and garnish with Citrus Salt and Japanese Picked Ginger. Serve over salad greens if you wish!
