Pan fried tofu and veg stir fry

When I order tofu in restaurants, it's so great. But when I cook it myself, it seems to end up a funny texture. All this changed with this amazing tofu and veggie stir fry recipe!

I was looking for a way to get super crispy tofu, and came across this guide. If you don't have cornflour to coat the tofu, you can just use plain flour.

Pan fried tofu and veg stir fry - inspired by Budget Bytes

Ingredients for 3/4 servings:

Sauce

1/4 cup soy sauce

2 tbsp water

1 tbsp cider vinegar

2 tbsp brown sugar

1 tbsp ginger (grated or powder)

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 tbsp cornflour

Stir fry

400g block tofu (I used Cauldon)

Pinch of salt and pepper

Pinch of mixed herbs

2 tbsp cornflour

2 tbsp olive oil

2 carrots, chopped/sliced finely

1 pepper, chopped

Frozen spinach (as much as you like)

Rice to serve

Method:

1. First things first, it's time to press your tofu! Get two chopping boards and make a tofu sandwich. Cover the tofu in two layers of paper towels, place it on a plate between the two boards, and weigh down the top board with something heavy. Press the tofu for at least 30 minutes to extract excess water, it's a fun process.

I had to improvise a bit, but it worked out well!

2. While the tofu is pressing, prepare the sauce so that the flavours have time to blend. In a small bowl combine the soy sauce, water, cider vinegar, brown sugar, ginger, garlic, and cornflour. Stir until the brown sugar and cornstarch are dissolved, then set the sauce aside.

3. Cut the pressed tofu into 1" cubes (mine were a bit too large), transfer into a suitable container, then season with a pinch of salt, pepper, and mixed herbs. Sprinkle 1 tbsp cornstarch over the cubes, then toss to coat. Repeat with the second tablespoon of cornstarch, or until the tofu cubes have a nice even coating of cornstarch.

Coating the tofu in cornflour and seasonings

4. Heat a large frying pan over medium flame. Once hot, add 2 tbsp oil. Add the dusted tofu cubes and let cook until golden brown on the bottom. Use a spatula to turn the cubes to an uncooked side, and cook until golden brown again. Continue this process until brown and crispy on all sides, then remove the crispy tofu to a clean plate. 

Crispy tofu goodness

5. Add the carrots and pepper to the hot frying pan and stir fry until slightly browned on the edges. Lower the heat to medium-low. Add the frozen spinach (I thawed mine in the microwave).

Veggies heating up

6. Give the bowl of sauce a good stir, then pour it into the frying pan with the veggies. Stir and cook until the sauce begins to bubble and thicken (this should happen very quickly). Once thickened, turn off the heat and stir in the cooked tofu cubes.

Tofu and veggies, together at last

7. Serve the tofu and veggies over a bed of cooked rice, and enjoy!