Eliana Parker 

When most people think of tofu, the image of a bland, soggy, block of white stuff often comes to mind. Sure, you might have heard that you can make tofu edible, let alone actually taste good, but it can be hard to know where to even begin. Here are some protein-packed recipes that will convert you into a tofu lover! 

Crispy Honey Garlic Tofu

Photo from tablefortwoblog.com

Ingredients:

• 1 block extra firm tofu
• 3 tbsp cornstarch
• 1 ½ tbsp sesame oil
• 1 ½ tbsp canola oil
• ⅓ cup soy sauce
• ⅓ cup water or vegetable broth
• 2 tbsp honey
• 2 tbsp hoisin sauce
• 1 tbsp garlic paste or finely chopped garlic
• 1 tsp Worcester sauce
• 1 tsp Sriracha or spicy peanut sauce
• 1 tsp ginger
• Green onions and sesame seeds for garnish 

Place a cloth on a plate and place the tofu (drained from its packaging liquid) on top. Place another cloth on top of the tofu and put a cast-iron skillet (or something of equal weight, nothing too heavy you don’t want to crush the tofu!) on top. Let the tofu drain out for 30 minutes. Once the tofu has drained, cut into cubes and place into a large bowl. Cover each piece with 2 tbsp of cornstarch, gently tossing. In a large skillet, bring the canola oil and sesame oil to medium-high heat, and add your tofu. Cook until all sides of the tofu are crispy and a golden-brown colour. While tofu is cooking, take a bowl and combine the soy sauce, water or veggie broth, honey, hoisin sauce, garlic, Worcester sauce, ginger, and your spicy sauce of choice. Whisk in 1 tbsp of cornstarch until everything is combined. Once the tofu is golden-brown, add your sauce into the skillet. It should thicken up right away, covering all sides of the tofu. Plate, garnish, and enjoy!

Tofu Scramble

Photo from okonomikitchen.com

Ingredients: 

• ½ block firm tofu
• ½ block soft tofu
• ⅓ cup non-dairy milk
• 2 tbsp non-dairy butter
• 1 tsp nutritional yeast
• 1 tsp miso paste
• ¼ tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Green onion to garnish 

Whisk together the milk, butter, nutritional yeast, miso paste, turmeric, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper until smooth. In a large pan, add some non-dairy butter and bring to medium-high heat. Crumble in the firm tofu on one side of the pan and then add in the soft tofu on the other side. Gently use a wooden spoon to cut through the soft tofu, but be careful not to over-cut or else it gets mushy! Add in your sauce over the tofu and gently mix together, ensuring every piece of tofu is covered. Cook for 5 minutes without stirring, and then stir everything together. Continue cooking until all of the liquid has evaporated from the scramble. Plate, garnish and enjoy!

Tofu Summer Rolls

Photo from delishknowledge.com

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ cups very thinly sliced carrots and cucumbers
• 1 bunch fresh Thai basil
• 1 bunch fresh mint
• 4 ounces thin vermicelli noodles
• 1 package rice paper wraps
• 8 ounces extra-firm tofu
• 2 tbsp sesame oil
• 2 ½ tbsp cornstarch
• 2 tbsp spicy peanut sauce
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• Spicy peanut sauce for dipping
• Lime for garnish

Place noodles in boiling water until soft (read instructions on package), drain, rinse in cold water, and set aside. Cut up tofu in 3 inch long triangles and place into a large bowl. Cover each piece with 2 tbsp of cornstarch, gently tossing. In a large skillet, bring the sesame oil to medium-high heat, and add your tofu. Cook until all sides of the tofu are crispy and a golden-brown colour. While tofu is cooking, take a bowl and combine the peanut sauce, honey, and soy sauce. Whisk in ½  tbsp of cornstarch until everything is combined. Once the tofu is golden-brown, add your sauce into the skillet. It should thicken up right away, covering all sides of the tofu. Remove tofu once cooked. Take a shallow dish (or even a pan) and fill it with hot water. Dunk one sheet of the rice paper wrap at a time, for about 5 seconds. Place on a slightly damp workspace and layer the centre of the sheet with noodles, vegetables, mint, basil, and tofu. Wrap gently and roll like how you would a burrito. Serve with spicy peanut sauce and squeeze lime on top and enjoy!