Vegan sesame encrusted tofu steaks

Step 1

Drain the tofu and press it well, until all the excess moisture is squeezed out so that it is primed for absorbing the marinade. This is the tofu press I use.

Step 2

Mix ground up flax or chia seeds with 60 ml / ¼ cup water and place in the fridge for the mixture to jellify.

Step 3

Make the marinade / dressing by combining soy sauce (or tamari), rice vinegar, maple syrup, toasted sesame oil, minced ginger and garlic together.

Step 4

Cut the pressed tofu into thick slices and place at the bottom of a baking dish. Pour 2/3 of the marinade you've prepared in the previous step over the tofu and allow it to soak in. Save the rest for dressing.

Step 5

Place flour and sesame seeds on two plates and jellified flax in a shallow bowl.

Step 6

Lift a piece of tofu out of the marinade, press it into the flour to coat it lightly, then dip it into the flax egg (allow any excess to drip off) and finally press it into the sesame seeds making sure the entire surface is tightly packed with them. Place on a clean plate and proceed to coat the rest of the tofu in the same manner.

Step 7

Heat up a small frying pan or a wok. Once hot, cover the bottom of the pan (or wok) with frying oil and let the oil heat up. You could also bake it like in this recipe.

Step 8

Once the oil heats up (the tofu should sizzle as soon as it hits the pan), fry each piece of tofu for about 3 minutes on each side – until the coating becomes golden brown. Place the freshly fried pieces on a plate lined with a kitchen towel to get rid of the excess oil.

Step 9

Serve with cooked rice, steamed greens and a smattering of dressing on top or use it as a sandwich or onigirazu filler.