Let's face it, if you are Indian and have grown up immersed in our food, tofu is not a go-to ingredient. It just doesn't play well against our fiery curries. Nor are we desperate for vegetarian and high-protein options with the plethora of legumes in our cuisine. But, I would urge you to consider tofu in Indian dishes - baked or air fried. Below, I am going to show you how to prep it perfectly.
I personally fell in love with tofu because of my love of everything East Asian. I lived in Japan and Hawaii, and am obsessed with Japanese, Chinese, and Korean food, but never Indian. I addressed this in my third book Indian For Everyone, where I encourage baking tofu before adding it to curries.
Below, I've taken even that recipe to another level. Part of the secret is in the type of tofu (firm or extra firm), the prep (break it into chunks to mimic meat), the seasoning (a mix of cornstarch-garlic salt-ground black pepper), and the baking (elevated on a tray to give it an air-fried quality or in an air fryer). The result is a texture that resulted in my omnivore husband saying 'What the heck is this? You said it's tofu - are you sure it's not meat?' and my 17-year-old exclaiming 'Mom, this is a mind f*ck --- it's soooo good and so much better than chicken!' (Sorry to any sensitive readers about my girl's mouth - but she was really impressed!) Want to watch me make a version of this recipe? Click here for my Live Facebook class.
Baked, Spiced Tofu
1 16-ounce container firm or extra firm tofu
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper *
1. Adjust your oven rack to the second-from-the-top slot in your oven and preheat your oven to 420 degrees Fahrenheit. Most recipes call for 400, but I like my tofu a little crispier on the outside. The extra 20 degrees makes a difference. The little pieces crisp up the most and are delicious. If using an Air Fryer, lightly spray the wire rack with oil. There is no need to pre-heat.
2. Prep one 16-ounce container of firm or extra firm tofu. The texture is important. Soft tofu will not work as well and/or you'll have to press it. With firm or extra firm, I never need to press. Even better if it's organic. With your hands, pull off chunks of tofu pieces to mimic pieces of chicken. Remember, eating is as much about visualization as taste. Some recommend freezing the tofu first, defrosting, and then cooking to give it a chewy texture. I tried that as well, but was not overly impressed.
3. Prepare the dry-spice-coating. In a large ziplock bag, add the cornstarch, garlic salt, and ground black pepper. Place the pieces of tofu in the bag, seal it, and gently shake to mix evenly. You can also do this in a roomy bowl. Add the cornstarch and spices to the bowl and stir until well combined. Then, carefully add the tofu pieces and stir until all pieces are coated evenly. Be careful not to break them. This seasoning is key because it flavors the tofu beautifully and sets the stage for a great dish later. The cornstarch adds a bit of crunch. I personally don't think it matters if you use an Indian spice here because your curry will make up for that. It also can be overkill to add it to the tofu as well. I think it's more important to have the garlic salt. It's changed the flavor of my tofu completely.
* Replace the ground black pepper with any favorite spice blend for a delicious backdrop for any dish/cuisine from Mexican to Italian to Chinese, and even Thai. Want to make spicy nuggets for the game? Just swap in a spicy buffalo wings spice blend. If you want to try some of our Indian spices, I recommend Tandoori Masala or Chaat Masala. If you use the tandoori, then add these nuggets our jar of Tikka Masala for a delicious 'chicken' tikka.
4. Place the tofu pieces on a baking tray. Better yet, fit that tray with an oven-safe baking rack or basket. This will mimic an air fryer and cook the pieces from all sides without any need to flip them. No need to coat with oil, though you can if you would like. I do place a piece of parchment paper on the baking tray for easy clean up. If using an Air Fryer, lightly coat the basket with spray oil and then place the pieces right into the basket. Cook at 390 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 minutes.
5. If using an oven, bake for 30 minutes - not a minute less. Remove the tray from the oven to cool for 5 minutes. You will be tempted to eat them -- do it! They are darn good, but you can also save them for the next act. BUTTER 'Chicken' but with Tofu!
Mexican Spiced Baked Tofu:
I just replaced the ground black pepper with my favorite dry Mexican spice blend and followed the recipe above for a delicious addition to my Mexican rice bowls. You can even bake them up and then dip them into a spicy salsa before plating for a little extra extra flavor.
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Stacey
September 08, 2022
Thank you! I’m going to give this a go, now!
I would love it if you added to the top or bottom a summary of time needed (prep/cook), ingredients list, cook time and temp. I know it’s all in there, but when you’ve read the whole thing and start to go at it and can’t recall an increment or ingredient, it’s easier when there is a recipe summary.