battered tofu

This buttermilk-battered tofu recipe is inspired by Bon Appétit's Best Fried Chicken Sandwich recipe. This version replaces the chicken with tofu and the deep frying with air frying.

Air-Fried Buttermilk Tofu

salt

tsp pepper

AP flour

cornstarch

TB garlic powder

onion powder

TB salt

TB paprika

cayenne

soymilk, with 2 tsp apple cider vinegar whisked

TB Follow Your Heart VeganEgg powder, blended with 1/2 cup ice cold water

TB bourbon

hot sauce

vegan mayo (I like Vegenaise or Just Mayo)

red onion,

cabbage

jalepeno, sliced thinly

bread and butter pickles

hamburger buns

Earth Balance, for toasting the buns

Place the tofu slabs on a wire rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet. Season both sides with the salt and pepper and allow to sit out or chill for an hour.

Combine all of the dry ingredients together in a medium-sized bowl. Set aside.

Combine all of the wet ingredients together in a separate medium-sized bowl. Set aside.

Working one piece at a time, coat the tofu evenly in the dry mixture, tapping off any extra and placing it back onto the wire rack.

Pour 3 tablespoons of the wet mixture into the dry mixture and combine with your hands.

Working one piece at a time, dunk the tofu into the wet mixture, then pack the moistened flour mixture firmly around it.

Return the battered tofu back onto the wire rack and place into the refrigerator to chill for at least 30 minutes.

To fry, spray the tofu slabs evenly with cooking spray. Place into the air fryer at 400 degrees and cook for 10 minutes, flipping the slabs over halfway through the cooking time. Apply a little more spray over any areas that look dry and cook for an additional minute or two if needed to achieve a deeply golden color all over.

to prepare the tofu

Spread a little vegan butter over both sides of the buns and toast in a cast iron pan over medium heat until nice and crispy.  You can also toast the buns in the air fryer at 350 for a few minutes &#8230; just keep an eye on them to prevent them from getting too crispy.

Serve immediately, piled with the red onion, cabbage, jalepeno, pickles  and sambal mayo.

to serve

This deep-fried tofu is made by coating tofu chunks in a savory batter, and then double-frying them until golden perfection. It&#039;s crispy on the outside and chewy and tender on the outside. And if deep frying isn&#039;t your jam, I&#039;ve got three extra cooking methods below.

Deep Fried Battered Tofu (Super Crispy!)

оz (1.25 lb/550 g) firm or extra-firm tofu

tbsp low-sodium soy sauce

all-purpose flour + 1/2 cup for coating

potato starch ()

tsp smoked paprika

garlic powder

nutmeg

tsp salt

tsp black pepper

water

neutral vegetable oil,

Read all of the instructions before making the recipe. Scroll back to read my tips on deep frying and how to do it safely!

FREEZING METHOD: To get the best texture out of your tofu, freeze the block the night before, then let it thaw completely on your kitchen counter. Next, over the sink or a bowl, squeeze out as much water as possible without breaking it. Pat it dry with a paper towel, making sure it is completely dry on the outside.

PRESSING METHOD: If you don&#39;t want to do the freezing method, you can use a tofu press and press your tofu for 30 minutes to 1 hour to get rid of excess moisture. Don&#39;t have a tofu press? You can wrap the tofu in a clean kitchen towel and place something heavy on top like a large Dutch oven.

Once the tofu is pressed, you can either cut it into 2-inch cubes, or use your fingers to tear it into chunks. This will give it more texture, resembling a real chicken nugget. (See photo above for reference.)

Add the piece of tofu to a large mixing bowl, and evenly pour the soy sauce all over. Gently toss to coat, making sure to not break any of the pieces.

BATTER: Prepare two shallow bowls. In the first one, add the plain all-purpose flour. In the second one, mix the flour, potato starch, spices, and water, until you have a smooth batter. Don&#39;t overmix! The consistency should be thinner than pancake batter but still rich enough to stick to the tofu. Feel free to adjust the consistency as needed - if it&#39;s too thick add 1 tsp of cold water at a time until it&#39;s pourable, if it&#39;s too thin, add 1 tsp flour at a time until it thickens.

COAT TOFU: Take a piece of tofu and dip it in the batter, coating it well on all sides, Using chopsticks or a fork, lift it up and let any excess batter drip off. Transfer it to the bowl with the plain flour and using a spoon cover the tofu in flour, making a small flour &quot;mountain&quot; over it. Pick the piece up and shake off any excess flour. Let it rest on a plate while you prepare the rest of the tofu pieces. Repeat until everything is done.

Pour in oil in your deep-fryer to the maximum fill line. Turn it on and wait for it to heat until it reaches 350ºF (170ºC).

Once hot, carefully drop a few pieces of tofu and cook for 2-3 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden brown. (See photos above for reference.)

Using a spider strainer, carefully remove the pieces from the pot and transfer them to a plate layered with paper towels to soak the excess oil.

For a crispier exterior, do a double fry, meaning you fry the food again, but this time at a higher temperature. Heat the oil to 400ºF (205ºC). Carefully drop the tofu into the hot oil, frying for 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until golden brown. Transfer them to a piece of parchment paper to soak any excess oil.

Using a deep fryer

If you don&#39;t have a deep fryer, heat oil in a heavy-bottomed pot like a Dutch oven until it reaches 350ºF (170ºC). Use a kitchen thermometer to check when the oil is ready. If you don&#39;t have it on hand, dip a dry wooden chopstick into the oil, if the edges start to sizzle right away, the oil is hot enough for frying.

Once hot, carefully drop 3-4 pieces of tofu and cook for 2-3 minutes, flipping them halfway through, until golden brown.  (See photo above for reference.) Using a spider strainer, carefully remove the pieces from the pot and set them aside on a plate with a paper towel to soak the excess oil.

Using a pot

Pre-heat air fryer to 350ºF (180ºC). Spray the basket with cooking spray and add the tofu cubes in a single layer. Cook for 10-12 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden brown.

How to air fry battered tofu

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