The Best Broccoli Tofu Stir Fry Recipe - Build Your Bite (2024)

FAQs

What kind of tofu is best for stir-fry? ›

For tofu stir-fries, buy extra-firm tofu (or if you can't find that, buy firm tofu). Grace Young, wok guru and author of Stir-Frying to the Sky's Edge, says that for the best texture, “You want to remove as much liquid as possible before you stir-fry, so start with extra-firm.

Use tender tofu and be gentle.

You add the tofu to the pan and gently shake or stir it. You don't vigorously move it around the wok with a spatula, lest it fall apart. There's a fair amount of liquid and seasoning too so the tofu takes on the other ingredients. This is delicate stir-frying with some simmering involved.

The Best Way to Dry Tofu, Tested

Much easier is to slice the tofu, then lay the slices out flat on a cutting board or baking sheet lined with paper towels or a clean kitchen towel, then pressing more towels on top. More surface area = faster water removal = dinner on the table that much faster.

You can use soy sauce, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, and other seasonings to make a simple marinade. Let the tofu marinate for at least 30 minutes (or up to a few hours) before cooking or grilling. Press it: Firm tofu can be quite bland if eaten straight out of the package.

But at Chinese restaurants, the most commonly used tofu is silken tofu or egg tofu. They also use cornstarch or potato starch to lightly coat the tofu before putting it in the wok or fryer to fry.

What to not serve with tofu? According to studies, a high volume consumption of tofu and spinach together can increase your risk of kidney stones. Tofu and spinach contain calcium and oxalic acid respectively and the combined can form kidney stones.

For the tastiest results, marinade the tofu overnight. Roll slices or cubes of marinated tofu in some rice flour, potato starch, corn flour or grated coconut before pan-frying for an extra-crispy crust. Be sure to use a non-stick pan with a generous amount of oil. Deep-frying is also an option.

Coat the tofu.

Then add your tofu to a large mixing bowl. Drizzle it with olive oil, and toss gently to coat. Sprinkle evenly with cornstarch and seasonings (I use garlic powder, salt and pepper). Toss gently again until the tofu is evenly coated.

it in olive oil. It gives it a crispy crust when you coat it.

Texture: Tofu for stir-fries and grilled dishes will be firmer, drier and have better texture when pressed.

Should I use cornstarch to fry tofu? ›

Cornstarch: A must ingredient for crispy fried tofu. It soaks up the moisture and creates that browned coating we all love. Garlic powder: For flavor, otherwise tofu is very plain. Olive oil: For frying.

A light coating of cornstarch will absorb even more moisture from the tofu's surface and contribute to a distinct coating. Sprinkle over the starch (potato starch, tapioca starch, and arrowroot all work too) a little bit at a time and toss the tofu, pressing gently so the starch adheres.

In a mixing bowl or measuring cup with a spout, whisk together the marinade: soy sauce, maple syrup, rice vinegar, olive oil, sesame oil, garlic powder, smoked paprika, ginger, and Sriracha. Drizzle over the tofu. If any pieces look bare, turn them over in the marinade a few times so all of the sides are coated.

Add the tofu to the sieve and use the cheesecloth to squeeze out as much liquid as possible. The more liquid you remove, the thicker the whipped tofu will be. Add the strained tofu to the bowl of a food processor along with the lemon juice and 1/4 tsp salt and blend until smooth.

Extra-firm tofu has less water than firm tofu, which you notice in the difference in texture. The culinary possibilities of firm and extra-firm are almost the same, but extra-firm tofu doesn't absorb marinades as well. On the other hand, extra-firm is easier to pan-fry, stir-fry or deep-fry.

When pan-frying tofu, choose firm or extra-firm tofu. The former may take a little longer to pan-fry because it has more moisture, but pan-fried firm tofu absorbs flavors well simply because it's not as dense as extra-firm tofu.

Make sure you select the right texture.

In grocery stores, it ranges from silken to extra-firm. Soft silken tofu would be my choice for blending into desserts or slicing into miso soup, but if you're serving it as a main dish or topping it onto bowls, extra-firm is what you'll need.

Extra firm tofu has the tightest curds and can stand up to hearty cooking methods, such as pan frying and baking. Firm tofu is often used in traditional Asian soups such as hot and sour soup and miso soup.