Golden Pan-Fried Tofu

It's gluten free, low in calories, and super versatile yet......I have heard the phrase "I hate tofu" much more often than I have heard "I like tofu" or even the rarer "I love tofu." It is a sadly misunderstood ingredient that won over my taste buds during my time in Korea. There, they love their tofu. Every morning, on my way to work, I would pass by the back door of the neighbourhood supermarket where fresh, steaming tofu would be delivered every morning. It would be sold in large blocks and gone within the hour. Koreans would eat it warm, uncooked, and with spicy red pepper paste (go chu jang), although they also cook it in a multitude of beautiful ways. I'm going to show you how I usually cook my tofu for stir fries, phat thai, salads, or just to snack on.

Tofu comes in many different forms with soft, firm and very firm being the most common. I usually buy firm or very firm. If it is firm, I usually press it for 15-20 minutes to get rid of the extra water, allowing the tofu to more easily suck up whatever flavours you want it to absorb. If it is very firm tofu, you just need to pat it dry and start chopping. I like to chop my tofu in rectangles because it gives you 2 large surfaces to brown as opposed to trying to brown 4-6 sides.

Pressing my tofu with a plate and 2 bowls. Any weight will do.

You can make this ahead of time, let cool and put in the fridge, it will keep for a couple of days. If you have a vegetarian coming for dinner, this is a great substitute for meat. Give it a try, it's a very cheap experiment as you can usually buy a block of tofu for a couple of dollars. I will continue my quest to convert tofu haters. Let me know if I converted you!