Tofu And Pepper Tempura Recipes

TOFU TEMPURA: DEEP FRIED VEGAN RECIPE

Steps:

• The first step towards the best tempura tofu is to freeze your packet of tofu. This gives the tofu a much chewier, firmer texture that's perfect for deep fried tofu recipes. Use a tofu press to press out as much liquid as you can from the block of tofu before cutting the block into tempura sized strips. Place your tofu strips into a resealable container and freeze overnight. The next day, allow the tofu to thaw, then press out any excess water a second time.
• When you're ready to start preparing your tempura batter, you need to remember to fry your tofu right away, as the batter itself needs to be cold for the best results. You can set up your skillet or pot and start heating up enough frying oil to cover your tempura strips while you prepare the batter (it doesn't take too long).
• Prepare your batter by first measuring out rice flour, all-purpose flour, salt, and baking soda into a mixing bowl. Mix the ingredients together and pour in cold club soda. You don't need the batter to be smooth; lumpy is fine.
• Your oil should be hot now, so it's time to learn how to deep fry tofu. Take your first tofu strip and give it a good coating of tempura batter. Place it straight into the hot oil and let it cook for 2 minutes. Remove the tempura tofu when it's crispy and place it on paper towels or a drying rack to remove excess oil.
• Repeat the process, frying tofu in small batches to give them enough space to cook without touching.
• Serve your tempura tofu with dipping sauces or as part of a larger Japanese-inspired dinner!

VEGETARIAN TEMPURA FRIED PEPPERS

Steps:

• Make a small slice in the peppers and remove seeds. Set aside on paper toweling to dry.
• Heat the vegetable oil in a skillet and saute zucchini, squash, eggplant, onion, and garlic until tender. Remove from heat and fold in bread crumbs and cheese, and set aside to let cool.
• Mix the flour, cornstarch, and baking powder in a bowl and add seltzer in a stream while whisking constantly. Season with salt and pepper.
• Heat canola oil to 375 degrees F in a deep fryer.
• Stuff each pepper with a small amount of the vegetable stuffing. Then dip each stuffed pepper in the tempura coating and deep-fry until golden brown. Drain on paper toweling and serve warm.

STIR-FRIED TOFU AND PEPPERS

Steps:

• Optional step for firmer tofu: Blot the tofu dry, wrap in a clean kitchen towel and place a cutting board on top. Let sit for about 15 minutes. Whether weighted or not, slice the tofu about 1/2 inch thick into 1- x 2-inch dominoes.
• Mix together 1 tablespoon of the soy sauce, 1 teaspoon of the brown sugar and 1 tablespoon of the oil in a medium bowl. Toss with the tofu, and stir to make sure all of the pieces are coated. Let sit for five to 10 minutes while you prepare the other ingredients.
• In a small bowl, stir together the remaining soy sauce and sugar, hoisin sauce and sesame oil. Set aside.
• Heat a large nonstick skillet or wok over high heat until a drop of water evaporates on contact. Add the oil, turn the heat to medium-high and add the peppers. Stir-fry for a couple of minutes, until the peppers begin to soften, and add the garlic and ginger. Stir-fry for 20 seconds, until the garlic and ginger begin to smell fragrant, and add the tofu, dried red pepper flakes and green onions. Stir-fry two minutes, give the sauce a stir and add to the pan. Cover and cook for three minutes. Remove the lid, stir the ingredients in the pan, and taste and adjust seasonings. Serve with rice or noodles.

SALT AND PEPPER TOFU

Steps:

• To make the seasoning, combine the salt, sugar, white pepper, five-spice powder and ground ginger in a small bowl, and stir to combine. Set aside.
• Place the drained tofu onto a clean kitchen towel and pat dry. Cut the tofu into ¾-inch cubes.
• Scatter ¼ cup of the cornstarch onto a large plate or sheet pan. Carefully place the tofu cubes onto the cornstarch, then scatter the remaining cornstarch on top of the tofu. Using clean hands, gently dab each side of the tofu into the cornstarch until it is coated on all sides.
• Line a large plate with a paper towel or a clean kitchen towel.
• Heat a large (12-inch) nonstick or well seasoned cast-iron skillet on medium-high. Add 3 tablespoons of neutral oil and heat until the oil shimmers. Making sure the tofu pieces are not touching each other (you may need to work in batches), add the coated tofu to the skillet and cook for 2 to 3 minutes on each side until the tofu is golden and crispy. Remove and place on the paper or kitchen towel to absorb excess oil. Continue with remaining tofu, adding more oil as needed.
• The empty skillet should still have a small amount of oil, but if it doesn't, add 1 tablespoon more of oil. With the skillet over medium heat, add the scallions and pepper and stir-fry for 30 to 60 seconds until softened and fragrant. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on the same paper or kitchen towel.
• Transfer the tofu to a plate and sprinkle with about half of the salt and pepper seasoning. Top with scallions and pepper. Serve with rice and the remaining salt and pepper seasoning.

TEMPURA GREEN BEANS, YELLOW BEANS AND TOFU

Steps:

• Combine first 5 ingredients in blender. Add 1 3/4 cups water and blend until smooth. Transfer batter to shallow dish.
• Whisk soy sauce, lime juice, wasabi and red pepper in small bowl to blend.
• Cut tofu horizontally into 1/2-inch-wide slices. Cut each slice into 1/2-inch-wide logs. Arrange tofu in single layer on several layers of paper towels. Cover with paper towels. Let stand 1 hour.
• Pour enough oil into heavy large Dutch oven to reach depth of 3 inches. Heat oil to 375°F. Working in batches, dip beans into batter, shake off excess and add to oil. Fry until golden, stirring often, about 3 minutes per batch. Using slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels; drain. Repeat with tofu and batter.
• Serve beans and tofu with sauce.