It took me a long time to like tofu. I became vegetarian when I was 12 years of age and didn't take tofu seriously until my early twenties. Perhaps that was because I'd never been presented with this bean curd product in anything other than frozen stir fry mixes? Needless to say, I am now a huge fan of soya products, especially fresh bean curd.
I'm constantly trying to come up with recipe ideas which incorporate tofu, but the problem with a lot of tofu recipes is they use tofu as a secondary ingredient. I want ways to eat this glorious food and enjoy it in its own simplicity because, and I think people fail to realise this, a nice fresh tofu tastes good. This tofu teriyaki recipe is a great way to enjoy bean curd on it's own, with a minimal list of ingredients and time necessary to prepare.
Crispy Garlic Tofu Teriyaki
- Directions/Method
- To make the teriyaki sauce, mix the mirin, tamari, sugar, and garlic (if using) together in a small bowl and leave for at least 30 minutes (especially if using garlic, so it allows time for flavours to infuse and sugar to dissolve).
- Heat the oil in a deep wok or fryer to, uh, hot (I can't give an exact temperature, but let's say it should take 30-60 seconds to cook each piece of tofu). Just keep it below the smoking point, of course (why peanut oil is so great!)
- Once you're confident the teriyaki sauce is ready, coat the tofu slices in corn flour and fry the tofu slices until brown (you may need to flip over, depending on how much oil you've got).
- Garnish with spring onions and serve immediately with teriyaki sauce drizzled over the tops of the fried tofu slices.