Easy Pan-Fried Tofu

EASY PAN-FRIED TOFU

Seasoned with basil, garlic, salt and pepper, fried in grape seed oil. That’s it. Fries up quickly in just a little oil. Tastes and textures like the whites of a fried egg. Put it on bread or bun with ketchup and watch a fried egg sandwich emerge just like that with little effort. Top a salad, serve with a barbecue or tartar dipping sauce, or just eat it plain!

12 oz. pkg. extra firm or firm water packed tofu – rinse, wrap in cloth towel and gently press to remove excess liquid (not too hard or you’ll be making a scrambled egg sandwich) – carefully cut the block tofu into 3/8 inch wide planks, then cut the planks in half

2 T. grape seed oil

sprinkle of salt

sprinkle of garlic powder

sprinkle of dried basil

sprinkle of black pepper

In extra-large skillet, over medium heat, melt oil.

Add seasonings as you like, be careful with the salt, since it’s hard to see in the pan. Move the oil and seasonings around the pan, preferably with a brush, as equally distributed as possible.

Place the tofu squares around the pan (if your pan is smaller than the tofu, then fry two batches). Fry on one side till lightly colored and lightly crisped.

Very lightly salt the tops before carefully turning tofu over and cook the opposite side the same way – till golden and lightly crisped. Remove to rack till ready to use.

Put the pan-fried tofu on bread or bun with ketchup and watch a fried egg sandwich emerge just like that with little effort. Top a salad, serve with a barbecue or tartar dipping sauce, or just eat it plain!

Notes: Grape seed oil has a high smoke point, meaning the oil can withstand higher heats before smoking up the kitchen. Vegetable, canola, corn, grape seed, safflower and sunflower are examples of high heat oils. Today we used grape seed. Some days I use extra virgin olive oil and just keep the temperature lower. It still works.

You decide how much herb and garlic you want. Sure the herbs will char. I like it. You will too. The best advice is to use only enough to season lightly. Most of it will stay in the pan. The seasoning will smoke more than the oil.