I love your recipes so much - my husband and I are currently subscribed to your meal plan and have eaten some of our favorite meals from them, the only downside is most of your recipes are really high carb and for someone trying to keep their carb intake low due to health reasons, there’s a lot of recipes I sadly can’t make - would love if you could add some low carb options or recipes in the mix - thanks for all you do!
i really like the video but i noticed there's a ton of dislikes on this (i have an extension that shows me dislikes). I think it's because in asian cooking there's a notion of respecting tofu by not crumbling it, so people are probably mad about that. it was really shocking to me when you started crumbling the tofu.
My mother can make fried Crispy crunchy tofu like no other. She owned a restaurant for more than 30 years and she sold hundreds of plates of crispy salt and pepper silken tofu every day. Yes, silken soft tofu, I remembered as a child, the delivery truck every day delivering silken tofu. My sister and I, I was our favorite dish growing up, and other restaurants tried to copy her, but it wasn't crunchy. Somehow, my mom figured out the right flour mixture, she gently rolled cubes of silken tofu in the flour, then right into the deep fryer, then she will tossed it in a wok with green scallions, garlic, butter, and her secret salt and pepper mixture. It was crunchy on the outside, soft and silken on the inside, ying and yang. My mother passed away last year, as children, we never asked her about her recipe, my sister and I tried duplicating her recipe from our memories, it wasn't even close, the outside was too soft, and when we did get it crispy, it doesn't stay crispy long. Watching you make tofu reminds me of my mother.
Try raising the heat of your oil and put fewer pieces of coated tofu in to fry so they don't lower the oil temp quickly. Heat and flash frying may help to idea the crunching. Good luck. Keep trying!🎉
They make crispy silken tofu at this Chinese food place I go to and it's SO GOOD, I have absolutely no idea how they do that 😭 It's fried in scallions, salt, pepper and chilis and it's so good. I hope you find out your mum's recipe and are able to make it!
I never leave comments, but I just used the boiling water and pan fry technique and got the driest, crispiest tofu ever. It stayed crispy and firm even after being in a dish with sauce. Perfection!
@@khanhnguyen4104 It hasn't really worked for me using that technique. I still have some water in the tofu. They say to put it in the hot water & salt for about 10 mins. Maybe I need to use more salt. IDK. I'm going to pan fry then put in the air fryer tomorrow when I cook my next batch.
I switched to an air fryer after learning about how toxic the fumes from gas burners are. Now I need to figure out how to get the results I want! Thanks for a very thorough session on frying tofu.
@@patriciagreathouse9840 I got tired of the weight and using the boiling water and paper towels to pat dry. I got a tofu press this morning and this will be my first time seeing how this goes and will just be air frying from now on.
i feel grateful for all the testing that went into making this video! 34 blocks of totu, wow! thanks for testing all the different options ! i cant imagine how much work went into the cookbook
Yeah seriously, I am grateful too. I am new to tofu. Will try baking tofu. Have you given one or all of these methods a go? There was another special gem this video showed me that I completely didn't expect -- it's in her book. I bet there are a lot of delicious meals in there i can try for the next year.
I love crispy tofu too, but adding a side note that Tofu doesn’t always need to be crispy! In the English speaking online world, drying tofu out can sometime feel like the only way to eat tofu. Truth is tofu is an incredibly complex ingredient used in many Asian cuisines for millennia long before the west took it as a “meat substitute.” Artisans sometimes go through incredible processes to *keep* water in soft tofu. The same way we wouldn’t say all cheese need to be hard and dry like a block of Parmesan, tofu can be deliciously soft and creamy like a fresh mozzarella.
I agree 💯 and thanks for sharing. I love soft tofu, I love silken tofu raw, I love chewy braised tofu, I pretty much love all tofu in any way! I recommend trying my Chinese braised tofu - probably my favorite tofu recipe ever. rainbowplantlife.com/braised-tofu/
Thank you that was very informative especially historically . It appears acknowledgement is only given when the West approve and adopt something even though it’s been part of other cultures for centuries . ❤
A good, fresh silken tofu that has the texture of a soft egg cream is such a delicacy 😍 Crunch is great when I want a stir fry or am really missing those meaty bits in chili, tomato sauce, black bean noodles, or for tacos. Tofu is an all-rounder!
I've tried the saltwater method and I prefer that over pressing by a long shot. The inside gets seasoned and tastes just that little bit better. Great vid, Nisha! Can't wait to get my hands on your new cookbook 🤓
I LOVE your channel and recipes! My granddaughter just turned vegan and I got her a watch and am preparing a box with vegan things like staples and cookbooks. I'm going to order two of your cookbooks, one for me and one for her. ❤️
I've always baked or air fried tofu. I just made the pan fried version. OMG so deliecious. My favorite method going forward. I also threw some chickpeas in the cornstarch mix and added to the tofu when frying. - Game changer.
I started eating about 85% vegan recently, and I finally made tofu for the first time today. I don't know why it was so intimidating lol. I remembered you made this tofu video, so I looked it up and followed your pan frying instructions, and it worked perfectly! So crispy on the outside and still soft on the inside. I even felt better after eating this than how I do after eating the same meal but with chicken. This is definitely going to be a staple in my rotation going forward!
Hey Nisha, I am really grateful for the thought put into this video. I have only been vegetarian for a couple months, and getting to know how to cook tofu has been a struggle, especially when it comes to it sticking to the pan. These videos where you go over all the basic details are really helpful for people like me who have not been cooking for too long.
Really appreciate the table at the end. I tend to forget certain details about the different methods so having one large table for comparison is super helpful
This is incredible, Nisha. I've seen your vids for years but never commented. You have outdone yourself. I wish I had a video like this when I went vegan! I realize this one was a tremendous amount of time, work, and money for you. It's much appreciated. I know not every video can be this exhaustive (and exhausting!). This is a great gift to the vegan community and will help me and tons of other people for years. Earned my sub.
I love it when you do your recipe testing and share the results. The amount of effort and thought you put into finding the best possible way to cook everything is amazing, and in a world full of a zillion different viral recipes for the same thing every time there's a new food trend, it's kind of a relief when someone explains the method and reasoning behind what they're doing.
Neither my husband nor I are vegan and we're trying to eat less meat (but not there yet). We both love watching your videos. He's first gen British from an Indian family, so we eat a lot of what you cook. Love learning more recipes and yours are fabulous!
I’ve been vegan for 2 years and I have never heard the salted boiling water trick for tofu. I’m going to try this tonight! Thanks for the tip! I love your channel by the way. 🤍
I've found air frying super firm tofu in the air fryer with no oil leads to a chewy, and slightly crispy consistency, very tasty with some hot sauce (my go to is a mix of yellowbird habanero and ghost pepper organic sauces)
Wish I had seen a video like this when I was first starting to use tofu. It took me years to hear about all the different ways to cook tofu and I use freezing/boiling water a lot. I find that tofu that has been frozen or boiled also takes up marinade much better. I also now use rice flour when frying anything - learned that from a chef, asked the waitress to find out how they got their stuff so crispy and she came back and said rice flour, so that's been my goto since then. Can't wait until September - your book is my birthday present to myself.
I always freeze mine first and then thaw in the fridge a couple of days. Freezing changes the texture of the tofu and it also absorbs marinade very well. It has a nice chewy, meat like texture when frozen first.
I love those videos in which you do a practical and thorough analysis of some topic. I mean, I love most of your videos, but those really stand out, make this channel special, and my cooking better. Thanks!
I have a pretty small air fryer, so I have a trick for air frying more breaded tofu (or eggplant or okra) at one time. Crowding can prevent browning or make the coating crumble off, but if you 'set' the coating first, it's a lot more forgiving. I do this by cooking in a dry pan for just a minute on each side. Then you transfer to the air fryer to finish cooking (until tender or until golden as needed) and since the coating is 'set' it tolerates being shaken and stirred around to make sure everything cooks evenly.
What a smart idea to have it in the pan first I will try to chicken. I do eat meat, but I love all these recipes on this channel. Good comment. Thank you for sharing with the world.🥰🐝🐝🐝
The amount of time and research this must've taken! I really appreciate how you presented it as well. Clear, concise, and the graphic at the end was the cherry on top! Great video! 🥘
I have tried to make crispy tofu over the years with little success. Last night I tried the pan fried method using the salt soak to remove liquid. I was shocked at how good it came out - and so were my kids! Amazing thank you! Looking forward to your new cookbook - which I pre-ordered back in March, so excited it's out in 2 weeks 🎉
I use a Breville toaster oven/air fryer combo and it is amazing. I can air fry 2 blocks of tofu that gets super crispy without having heaps of fat from the oil.
Thank you so much for this video! I followed your directions for the pan fried version and my husband said it was literally the best tofu he’d ever eaten in his life 😊
Thank you ! I have been looking far a way to fry tofu for years. I knew there had to be some trick to it and you have it ! I did your pan fried tofu and I just finished a bowl of fried tofu tikka masala. A new signature dish.
I've been trying to cut down on oil so I've been baking (in a convection oven, so basically air frying) tofu instead of pan frying and I'm so excited to try these techniques! I especially can't wait to tell my partner about freezing the tofu first, that's such a great tip.
After binge watching your channel for motivation to get back on track with my plant based lifestyle, I'm preparing delicious plant based meals and I have ordered your new cookbook. I don't usually order cookbooks since there are so many videos and free content. But your techniques are amazing and resonate deeply with me so I wanted a the tangible guide offered in the book. Beyond my expectations!
This video was so interesting to watch! I really appreciate the amount of effort, research and TOFU that went into this video. One thing I would have been curious to hear is how each method held up to refrigeration and reheating. I imagine that you'd want to try and eat all the deep fried tofu fresh for instance since deep fried foods get soft and soggy fast but the air fryer tofu would probably be fine if you tossed it into the air fryer for a couple minutes
11:30 Great video but NEVER use cooking spray on nonstick surfaces. The lecithin will bake on the surface, ruining the nonstick properties. You know how hard it is to clean stuck on eggs? That's the lecithin. Fine nonstick cookware will explain this in the care instructions. Oil is fine, but not cooking spray. The easiest method is to soak a paper towel with oil then wipe the cooking surface.
What a nice compliment to give to the chef who deserve it she’s very good at explaining and why it happens. What happens when we cook tofu, never work with Sophu, but I will try definitely after this video.🥰🐝🐝🐝
I made your pan-fried recipe exactly as written (including the boiled water method), and it was absolute perfection. Crispy and perfectly seasoned. I added it to a stir fry with brown rice, broccoli, red pepper and sweet chili sauce. Delicious!
Wow this came out at the perfect time, I've just been experimenting with tofu like a madman the past month and I agree with these findings! I used to chop my tofu into blocks but I find gently tearing it gives it that nice jagged edge that gets crispy and somehow makes the whole thing taste way better haha
Any barriers like oil will prevent dehydration but remove absorbtion of flavor. You have to do everything you can to prepare tofu before dressing or cooking. Dehydrate and season as much as you can. Corn starch can add flavor. If the tofu is fried after it would be great in Saffron rice with small peices of sweet fried flowers.
I rarely ever comment on videos but I hope this helps you in reaching more people. I love your videos so much! They are easy, laid-back, not overly long and a nice dopamine kick for my inner chef whenever I need a quick fix and some inspiration. Thanks and keep up the great work. Thinking about pre-ordering that cookbook of yours 🤔🤔🤔
Thank you for your videos. We use the freezing method but cut the tofu into cubes then freeze on a sheet pan. We store the frozen cubes in a freezer bag and can thaw just the amount needed. When thawed, a quick squeeze in the hand results in the driest tofu I have been able to achieve. Have your book on my birthday/Christmas wish list.♥
I just break them into smallish pieces and put them in a batter of chickpea flour l, water, and oil, with salt and spices, and then either convection oven, regular oven (maybe? Have yet to try it) or air fryer. And that does enough to make it super crispy while giving it a kind of chicken breast texture inside. So it turns out a little dry, but I usually prepare it with a gochujang sauce or some sort of variation of a sweet and sour sauce, so it softens up and picks up a bit of moisture in the sauce. My sister could not believe how crunchy it was, on one occasion when she tried it.
I've ordered your book as soon as you gave us notice. I have your first cookbook , The Vegan Instant Pot, which I recommend your followers purchase. By the way, I love your tofu testing. Thank you
I stumbled on this video and wow. I’ve been eating Tofu for the protein but never really enjoyed it. But after trying your panfried recipe I’m loving it. Great quick easy tasty healthy snack. Thank you so much
I love to eat healthy and tasty food but I hate to cook (kinda ran out of steam after cooking for my family for the last 22 years). So I would love more 20 min recipes, meal-prep videos and meals you can prepare in advance (without the need for a microwave), thank you Nisha!
Just bought Tofu for the first time in my life because I saw your video and tried your pan-fried method. It turned out super crispy and was so delicious. Thank you for sharing your knowledge.🙏
Thanks for doing so much research for all of our sake! I appreciate learning about the results and and that lesson on how osmosis is a great way to remove excess moisture from tofu! Thanks sis! 🙏🏽
"Deep" fried tofu FTW for me. I only use about an inch of oil (1 1/2 to 2 cups) in my smallest deep pan so I do have to flip them over halfway through but they always come out so crispy.
I appreciate this so much! I have struggled to get crispy tofu from the oven, and I've been using corn starch. I will definitely try the stove top method, and also the salt water soak!
Cant wait for your book to come out! I started cooking vegan since watching your videos two years ago. My health is thanking you, it changed my life. Absolutely loved every reciepe i tried! ♥
Youve been such an inspiration to me as an aspiring vegan from an indian background :). The only thing that has been challenging to recreate has been my south indian comfort food, which is yogurt rice. I have failed to find the perfect vegan yogurt to mimic that food from my childhood. Do you have any suggestions?
I pan fry it twice a week. I've never had much like getting anything crispy enough in the AF. Something I haven't tried yet though is putting it in a salt brine to drain the water. I think I will try that tomorrow so thanks for the idea! Great video!
I've just discovered your channel and I've been wanting to try to make recipes with tofu, thank you for this informative video, I'm really excited to try this. I even just ordered white rice flour. I'll be watching more of your entertaining videos 🤍
This is SUCH a great video. Thank you so, so much for going through all of that bother to figure out the best set of ingredients/processes for each method, as well as comparing the methods for us. My only efforts at crispy tofu, over 5 years ago, were abysmal failures, with the starch peeling off in a soggy mess. It was edible, but not good, and definitely not crispy! I got disheartened, and hadn't tried it since. You've re-inspired me!
I really appreciated this video, I get intimidated by cooking but your focus on one ingredient and one simple outcome with thorough explanation between different methods was really nice to watch. A crispy tofu tier list :)
Nisha, you have changed my cooking life yet again! I followed your instructions for pan-frying the tofu and it was amazing. I didn’t have cornstarch so I used a mix of potato starch (despite your warning!) and panko breadcrumbs, cooked the tofu in coconut oil and it was just 👌. Thank you!
Hi Nisha, i tried the panfried tofu and loved it. It was even better when i reheated it the next day on a baking tray. It came out just as crispy as deep fried tofu would be. Have you tried burmese style tofu yet? There are a bunch of videos on yt in how to make "tofu" with all kind of lentils. I so far used red and yellow lentils with spices and right now try baking the cubes according to your instructions. I would love to get your take in burmese style tofu though. Love from Austria!
Thanks for the great video Nisha! I made the pan-fried tofu last night and it was really good. I was shocked at how good it was. I seasoned it with some Seasoned Salt, pepper, onion powder and garlic powder. About 4 Tbsp of corn starch. I had to pull myself away otherwise I would have eaten the entire block!
By FAR, the easiest method is an air fryer oven. Most are the size of a small microwave so you can fit a lot of tofu. In fact, most have racks so your can do 2-3 layers simultaneously. I often air fry 3 lbs of to tofu at once. The greatest convenience, however, is that you never have to flip anything because there are heating elements above and below (like a toaster oven) and the trays are basically a screen so you have hot air blasting the bottom as well as the top. This recipe would take 15 mins and it's all hands off because there's no flipping. Plus you can do 2-3 lbs at once.
Thanks for doing all this work! Our favorite meathod is airfrying, as we feel it's just so easy and yeilds really great results. We've also been using a whole block in there and it's a standard smaller air fryer and has been still doing a great job. :)
I've never heard of soaking tofu in saltwater to remove excess moisture; will try this tonight! Thank you for all the effort that went into this video!
I tried the pan fried version and oh my God, this was actually the best tofu I ever made?! It got so crispy and I did it exactly like you did, I only used different spices. Hot salty water and then a starch spice mix is the way to go, from now on.
I'm in love!!! Tried the boiling water w/salt method...still used a ton of paper towels to blot out but these were the crispiest and tastiest tofu ... even my competitive bodybuilder workout buddies loved em.
What a wonderful channel and video! I've been looking for something like this for quite some time and I'm not just upvoting because you reinforced my belief that sauteing is the way to go. Really lovely stuff and I'm legitimately looking at getting your book now, and I'm not even Vegan!
Ive seen a lot of comments on other videos recently about people pressing their tofu instead of these other tried and true methods, so im glad you highlighted them! Also really happy that your preferred method is pan frying since thats the one I was most likely to do LOL
2:05 I won’t question your method, of it works it works, but I doubt osmosis would actually pull out water that fast. I had a look online, and I can’t find any sources stating that temperature affects osmosis, and I know from experience that in macroscopic bits of food osmosis takes hours for a noticeable affect. Likely it’s more to do with the hot water, either cooking the surface or warming the whole block up to allow more water to escape. Maybe the salt helps idk.
I just discovered your channel and subscribed based on this video. I am looking forward to seeing what else you have done in the past as well as what is yet to come. I had an amazing tofu dish in Lahaina, Maui (which tragically was devastated by fire recently). It was many years ago, but it was nut-crusted (Macadamia, if I recall correctly), but they ignored my requests for the recipe. I now don't recall too much about it, but the nut crust gave it some extra crispiness, and the dish included some asparagus, but the real selling point was the citrusy marinade that they used. I always tell people that tofu itself may be pretty bland, but it is a flavor sponge that really takes on the flavors of whatever it is cooked in.
If you are cooking for picky kids or tofu doubters that call it bland you can treat it like Thai sticky rice and make a small assortment of dipping sauces, like spicy mustard, soy glaze, duck sauce, etc. to keep it fun. I also like to bake it after mixing it with cornstarch and furikake sprinkles, honey optional if you want a little extra caramelization. It's a blank canvas and You are the painter.
This was so helpful for me! Thank you. My usual method has been pan frying the tofu, but it never worked very well. I’m eager to try it using your instructions.
Merci Nisha, Trying 34 different blocks of Tofu! Waouh! I learned a lot with your video as I've only cooked tofu once years ago & found it bland, chewy & to be forgotten! But I've decided to try again & bought some smoked tofu. I thought may be it would be tastier.....Would you say the same cooking methods apply with smoked tofu? Thanks a lot for your feedback & Good luck with the launch of your book. I've been watching your videos for a long time & made many of your recipes (although I'm not Vegan I love vegetarian/vegan food°. Your bright personality & good humour together with clear & explicit details make it a pleasure to watch. Lots of love from Brittany (western France) 🥰
OMG thank you! Been aiming for 140 grams of protein a day (yes, I've done my research, and I've experimented on myself and this is best for me, at this time -- I'm over 50 and there are many reasons this is important for my body and me, your mileage may vary!) . . .and I'm always looking for better and tastier ways to get in all the protein I want. This is great -- thanks again!
I've made hummus with her recipe - the one with a crispy lemon zest topping. Fantastic! The ice water tip was solid gold. Checking on pre ordering now.
Have you ever tried to recreate Pei Wei's Baked Tofu (old way)? It's been a struggle to find the recipe online... If you're able to figure it out I'm sure a lot more people would be interested...
![A delicious recipe to eat Tofu for Breakfast! Tofu Toast Without Bread! [Vegan]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Rr8iPXOKw4U/mqdefault.jpg)
If you’re looking for seriously stellar tofu recipes, check out my new cookbook Big Vegan Flavor! Available for preorder at bigveganflavor.com/
Ordered. Can't wait.
I love your recipes so much - my husband and I are currently subscribed to your meal plan and have eaten some of our favorite meals from them, the only downside is most of your recipes are really high carb and for someone trying to keep their carb intake low due to health reasons, there’s a lot of recipes I sadly can’t make - would love if you could add some low carb options or recipes in the mix - thanks for all you do!
Fantastic message and lesson. Thank you for producing and sharing. All of this is true.
i really like the video but i noticed there's a ton of dislikes on this (i have an extension that shows me dislikes). I think it's because in asian cooking there's a notion of respecting tofu by not crumbling it, so people are probably mad about that. it was really shocking to me when you started crumbling the tofu.
Looks delicious 😊.
My mother can make fried Crispy crunchy tofu like no other. She owned a restaurant for more than 30 years and she sold hundreds of plates of crispy salt and pepper silken tofu every day. Yes, silken soft tofu, I remembered as a child, the delivery truck every day delivering silken tofu. My sister and I, I was our favorite dish growing up, and other restaurants tried to copy her, but it wasn't crunchy. Somehow, my mom figured out the right flour mixture, she gently rolled cubes of silken tofu in the flour, then right into the deep fryer, then she will tossed it in a wok with green scallions, garlic, butter, and her secret salt and pepper mixture. It was crunchy on the outside, soft and silken on the inside, ying and yang. My mother passed away last year, as children, we never asked her about her recipe, my sister and I tried duplicating her recipe from our memories, it wasn't even close, the outside was too soft, and when we did get it crispy, it doesn't stay crispy long. Watching you make tofu reminds me of my mother.
I didn’t think I was gonna tear up reading a comment 😭 she sounds like she was an amazing mom and chef. Thank you for sharing this ❤❤
Try raising the heat of your oil and put fewer pieces of coated tofu in to fry so they don't lower the oil temp quickly.
Heat and flash frying may help to idea the crunching.
Good luck.
Keep trying!🎉
They make crispy silken tofu at this Chinese food place I go to and it's SO GOOD, I have absolutely no idea how they do that 😭 It's fried in scallions, salt, pepper and chilis and it's so good. I hope you find out your mum's recipe and are able to make it!
butter is not Vegan
unless it's Vegan
@@religion-freethe OP didn’t say vegan. Non-vegans have been eating it for centuries.
I never leave comments, but I just used the boiling water and pan fry technique and got the driest, crispiest tofu ever. It stayed crispy and firm even after being in a dish with sauce. Perfection!
I love my air fryers. I want to try the pan fry method. I'll be using the boiling water & salt method too to prep the tofu.
How long do you soak in the hot water and salt
@@khanhnguyen4104 It hasn't really worked for me using that technique. I still have some water in the tofu. They say to put it in the hot water & salt for about 10 mins. Maybe I need to use more salt. IDK. I'm going to pan fry then put in the air fryer tomorrow when I cook my next batch.
I switched to an air fryer after learning about how toxic the fumes from gas burners are. Now I need to figure out how to get the results I want! Thanks for a very thorough session on frying tofu.
@@patriciagreathouse9840 I got tired of the weight and using the boiling water and paper towels to pat dry. I got a tofu press this morning and this will be my first time seeing how this goes and will just be air frying from now on.
i feel grateful for all the testing that went into making this video! 34 blocks of totu, wow! thanks for testing all the different options ! i cant imagine how much work went into the cookbook
you're very welcome! and SO much went into the cookbook - over 2,000 recipe tests😅I am so excited for it!
Yeah seriously, I am grateful too. I am new to tofu. Will try baking tofu. Have you given one or all of these methods a go? There was another special gem this video showed me that I completely didn't expect -- it's in her book. I bet there are a lot of delicious meals in there i can try for the next year.
I second that! Can you imagine eating 34 blocks of tofu in one day? What a trooper! 😂
This isn't a video, it's an encyclopedia entry. So much good information!
I love crispy tofu too, but adding a side note that Tofu doesn’t always need to be crispy! In the English speaking online world, drying tofu out can sometime feel like the only way to eat tofu. Truth is tofu is an incredibly complex ingredient used in many Asian cuisines for millennia long before the west took it as a “meat substitute.” Artisans sometimes go through incredible processes to *keep* water in soft tofu.
The same way we wouldn’t say all cheese need to be hard and dry like a block of Parmesan, tofu can be deliciously soft and creamy like a fresh mozzarella.
I agree 💯 and thanks for sharing. I love soft tofu, I love silken tofu raw, I love chewy braised tofu, I pretty much love all tofu in any way! I recommend trying my Chinese braised tofu - probably my favorite tofu recipe ever.
rainbowplantlife.com/braised-tofu/
I've had a chocolate pudding made of soft tofu that was fantastic
@@jacobkeltz3584Me too!
Thank you that was very informative especially historically . It appears acknowledgement is only given when the West approve and adopt something even though it’s been part of other cultures for centuries . ❤
A good, fresh silken tofu that has the texture of a soft egg cream is such a delicacy 😍 Crunch is great when I want a stir fry or am really missing those meaty bits in chili, tomato sauce, black bean noodles, or for tacos. Tofu is an all-rounder!
I've tried the saltwater method and I prefer that over pressing by a long shot. The inside gets seasoned and tastes just that little bit better. Great vid, Nisha! Can't wait to get my hands on your new cookbook 🤓
How long do you keep the tofu in the saltwater? :)
Yes exactly! And thank you - I hope you’ll love my cookbook!
@@FireFloink10 minutes!
@@RainbowPlantLife And then you just dry it with a towel? No pressing at all?
@@RainbowPlantLife Thank you!
I LOVE your channel and recipes! My granddaughter just turned vegan and I got her a watch and am preparing a box with vegan things like staples and cookbooks. I'm going to order two of your cookbooks, one for me and one for her. ❤️
You sound like such a lovely grandparent! What a thoughtful gift!
How sweet is that! What a lovely and thoughtful present ❤ hope you will both enjoy my cookbook!
@@aggressivepineapple8018 thank you, I'm so happy for her choice to be vegan. She's been making meals for a few months now.
@@garbageflowers thank you, we did a lot of baking together but I don't live close by anymore.
I've always baked or air fried tofu. I just made the pan fried version. OMG so deliecious. My favorite method going forward. I also threw some chickpeas in the cornstarch mix and added to the tofu when frying. - Game changer.
So happy you loved the pan-fried tofu! Thanks for sharing!
How long did you leave it in the salt solution?
@@Loveitmore1 Around 10-15 minutes... no more
I started eating about 85% vegan recently, and I finally made tofu for the first time today. I don't know why it was so intimidating lol. I remembered you made this tofu video, so I looked it up and followed your pan frying instructions, and it worked perfectly! So crispy on the outside and still soft on the inside. I even felt better after eating this than how I do after eating the same meal but with chicken. This is definitely going to be a staple in my rotation going forward!
Hey Nisha, I am really grateful for the thought put into this video. I have only been vegetarian for a couple months, and getting to know how to cook tofu has been a struggle, especially when it comes to it sticking to the pan. These videos where you go over all the basic details are really helpful for people like me who have not been cooking for too long.
Really appreciate the table at the end. I tend to forget certain details about the different methods so having one large table for comparison is super helpful
This is incredible, Nisha. I've seen your vids for years but never commented. You have outdone yourself. I wish I had a video like this when I went vegan!
I realize this one was a tremendous amount of time, work, and money for you. It's much appreciated. I know not every video can be this exhaustive (and exhausting!). This is a great gift to the vegan community and will help me and tons of other people for years. Earned my sub.
Thanks for taking the time to comment and glad to hear you loved the video! 🥰
@@RainbowPlantLife You're welcome!
I love it when you do your recipe testing and share the results. The amount of effort and thought you put into finding the best possible way to cook everything is amazing, and in a world full of a zillion different viral recipes for the same thing every time there's a new food trend, it's kind of a relief when someone explains the method and reasoning behind what they're doing.
I so appreciate this! I want folks to learn how to become better cooks and to truly enjoy cooking plant based recipes, whether or not it’s trending :)
Neither my husband nor I are vegan and we're trying to eat less meat (but not there yet). We both love watching your videos. He's first gen British from an Indian family, so we eat a lot of what you cook. Love learning more recipes and yours are fabulous!
That makes me happy to hear! So glad you’re both enjoying my recipes on your journey to eating less meat.
Thank you for trying to eat less meat :)
I’ve been vegan for 2 years and I have never heard the salted boiling water trick for tofu. I’m going to try this tonight! Thanks for the tip! I love your channel by the way. 🤍
☺️ I’m so glad to hear it! Glad this technique was useful for you :)
How long do you need to leave the tofu in the salt water bath before draining it?
@@JayanTharayil @7:30 she states she lets it soak for 10 minutes.
I've found air frying super firm tofu in the air fryer with no oil leads to a chewy, and slightly crispy consistency, very tasty with some hot sauce (my go to is a mix of yellowbird habanero and ghost pepper organic sauces)
Same ☺️
Same here except that hot sauce! You are brave!
Wish I had seen a video like this when I was first starting to use tofu. It took me years to hear about all the different ways to cook tofu and I use freezing/boiling water a lot. I find that tofu that has been frozen or boiled also takes up marinade much better. I also now use rice flour when frying anything - learned that from a chef, asked the waitress to find out how they got their stuff so crispy and she came back and said rice flour, so that's been my goto since then. Can't wait until September - your book is my birthday present to myself.
I always freeze mine first and then thaw in the fridge a couple of days. Freezing changes the texture of the tofu and it also absorbs marinade very well. It has a nice chewy, meat like texture when frozen first.
Thanks!
Loved this! As a recently widowed old coot just learning kitchen basics, I found this to be really loaded with useful information and tips. Thanks!
I love those videos in which you do a practical and thorough analysis of some topic. I mean, I love most of your videos, but those really stand out, make this channel special, and my cooking better. Thanks!
I have a pretty small air fryer, so I have a trick for air frying more breaded tofu (or eggplant or okra) at one time. Crowding can prevent browning or make the coating crumble off, but if you 'set' the coating first, it's a lot more forgiving. I do this by cooking in a dry pan for just a minute on each side. Then you transfer to the air fryer to finish cooking (until tender or until golden as needed) and since the coating is 'set' it tolerates being shaken and stirred around to make sure everything cooks evenly.
What a smart idea to have it in the pan first I will try to chicken. I do eat meat, but I love all these recipes on this channel. Good comment. Thank you for sharing with the world.🥰🐝🐝🐝
@@NoFearCooking I do not know how meat cooks in an air fryer. I have not had a victim on my plate in almost 15 years. GL.
Great hint ...find it doesn't need a coating ...just soak in marinades etc
@@jazzkardasz8576 options are nice for variety's sake. 9/10 I just sprinkle it with nooch and spices and air fry.
The amount of time and research this must've taken! I really appreciate how you presented it as well. Clear, concise, and the graphic at the end was the cherry on top! Great video! 🥘
I have tried to make crispy tofu over the years with little success. Last night I tried the pan fried method using the salt soak to remove liquid. I was shocked at how good it came out - and so were my kids! Amazing thank you! Looking forward to your new cookbook - which I pre-ordered back in March, so excited it's out in 2 weeks 🎉
I use a Breville toaster oven/air fryer combo and it is amazing. I can air fry 2 blocks of tofu that gets super crispy without having heaps of fat from the oil.
How long do you air fry it for & what temperature. I don't like using a lot of oil either. One tablespoon is 140 calories!
Thank you so much for this video! I followed your directions for the pan fried version and my husband said it was literally the best tofu he’d ever eaten in his life 😊
Thank you ! I have been looking far a way to fry tofu for years. I knew there had to be some trick to it and you have it ! I did your pan fried tofu and I just finished a bowl of fried tofu tikka masala. A new signature dish.
The hot slat water method is such an awesome hack! I can't wait to try it.
I've been trying to cut down on oil so I've been baking (in a convection oven, so basically air frying) tofu instead of pan frying and I'm so excited to try these techniques! I especially can't wait to tell my partner about freezing the tofu first, that's such a great tip.
I needed this so badly. My tofu game sucks. Thank you!
Freezing it also helps.
This is perfect timing. New to fully plant-based eating. And tofu's been on my current list of learning best methods. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
After binge watching your channel for motivation to get back on track with my plant based lifestyle, I'm preparing delicious plant based meals and I have ordered your new cookbook. I don't usually order cookbooks since there are so many videos and free content. But your techniques are amazing and resonate deeply with me so I wanted a the tangible guide offered in the book. Beyond my expectations!
This video was so interesting to watch! I really appreciate the amount of effort, research and TOFU that went into this video. One thing I would have been curious to hear is how each method held up to refrigeration and reheating. I imagine that you'd want to try and eat all the deep fried tofu fresh for instance since deep fried foods get soft and soggy fast but the air fryer tofu would probably be fine if you tossed it into the air fryer for a couple minutes
11:30 Great video but NEVER use cooking spray on nonstick surfaces. The lecithin will bake on the surface, ruining the nonstick properties. You know how hard it is to clean stuck on eggs? That's the lecithin. Fine nonstick cookware will explain this in the care instructions. Oil is fine, but not cooking spray. The easiest method is to soak a paper towel with oil then wipe the cooking surface.
Thanks for doing all of the "food work" and making our world so much better. Great video ... good info ... I am a fan!
What a nice compliment to give to the chef who deserve it she’s very good at explaining and why it happens. What happens when we cook tofu, never work with Sophu, but I will try definitely after this video.🥰🐝🐝🐝
I made your pan-fried recipe exactly as written (including the boiled water method), and it was absolute perfection. Crispy and perfectly seasoned. I added it to a stir fry with brown rice, broccoli, red pepper and sweet chili sauce. Delicious!
Wow this came out at the perfect time, I've just been experimenting with tofu like a madman the past month and I agree with these findings! I used to chop my tofu into blocks but I find gently tearing it gives it that nice jagged edge that gets crispy and somehow makes the whole thing taste way better haha
One of my favorite meals is sesame tofu and I thought I had the recipe down. But you just leveled me up significantly!
I love this! been making tofu for many years but learnt some really nice techniques here. big thanks :) can't wait to try it out
Any barriers like oil will prevent dehydration but remove absorbtion of flavor. You have to do everything you can to prepare tofu before dressing or cooking. Dehydrate and season as much as you can. Corn starch can add flavor. If the tofu is fried after it would be great in Saffron rice with small peices of sweet fried flowers.
I rarely ever comment on videos but I hope this helps you in reaching more people.
I love your videos so much! They are easy, laid-back, not overly long and a nice dopamine kick for my inner chef whenever I need a quick fix and some inspiration. Thanks and keep up the great work.
Thinking about pre-ordering that cookbook of yours 🤔🤔🤔
Thank you for your videos. We use the freezing method but cut the tofu into cubes then freeze on a sheet pan. We store the frozen cubes in a freezer bag and can thaw just the amount needed. When thawed, a quick squeeze in the hand results in the driest tofu I have been able to achieve. Have your book on my birthday/Christmas wish list.♥
I'm so impressed by the osmosis method of hot salted water in the beginning, I will give it a try soon....sounds really crunchy!...wow!
Your sound designer is a beast, the low end eqing in the nooks!!! It's like long black pepper rather than white pepper...
We need more sound design comments.
@@Mattjki what does taht mean long black pepper
I just break them into smallish pieces and put them in a batter of chickpea flour l, water, and oil, with salt and spices, and then either convection oven, regular oven (maybe? Have yet to try it) or air fryer. And that does enough to make it super crispy while giving it a kind of chicken breast texture inside. So it turns out a little dry, but I usually prepare it with a gochujang sauce or some sort of variation of a sweet and sour sauce, so it softens up and picks up a bit of moisture in the sauce. My sister could not believe how crunchy it was, on one occasion when she tried it.
Thank you. The pan fried tofu was the best choice on a weekday. The fact it had been frozen too made for an excellent crunch!
I've ordered your book as soon as you gave us notice. I have your first cookbook , The Vegan Instant Pot, which I recommend your followers purchase. By the way, I love your tofu testing. Thank you
WOW. Why have I never come across your channel before? You are spectacular in every way.
I stumbled on this video and wow. I’ve been eating Tofu for the protein but never really enjoyed it.
But after trying your panfried recipe I’m loving it. Great quick easy tasty healthy snack.
Thank you so much
I appreciate this video so much, I've recently gone vegetarian and have been struggling with how to cook tofu in a way that I enjoy.
Hope these methods will help you out in your journey!❤
I love to eat healthy and tasty food but I hate to cook (kinda ran out of steam after cooking for my family for the last 22 years). So I would love more 20 min recipes, meal-prep videos and meals you can prepare in advance (without the need for a microwave), thank you Nisha!
Check out her earlier videos about 'meal building blocks' - game changer for evening meals for family
@@Sky-Child Thank you for the tip, I'll have a look : )
Just bought Tofu for the first time in my life because I saw your video and tried your pan-fried method. It turned out super crispy and was so delicious. Thank you for sharing your knowledge.🙏
Thanks for doing so much research for all of our sake! I appreciate learning about the results and and that lesson on how osmosis is a great way to remove excess moisture from tofu! Thanks sis! 🙏🏽
"Deep" fried tofu FTW for me. I only use about an inch of oil (1 1/2 to 2 cups) in my smallest deep pan so I do have to flip them over halfway through but they always come out so crispy.
Tried the pan method now and the tofu is so incredibly good! I've been eating tofu for years and never had such an amazing crispy one. Thank you!
The trick with boiling salty water is great and something I've never heard before! Thanks for the tip!
I appreciate this so much! I have struggled to get crispy tofu from the oven, and I've been using corn starch. I will definitely try the stove top method, and also the salt water soak!
Cant wait for your book to come out! I started cooking vegan since watching your videos two years ago. My health is thanking you, it changed my life. Absolutely loved every reciepe i tried! ♥
that self-reflecting upsell at 4:50 was *chef's kiss*! earned a like
Wow thanks for all your research and time in testing out all the methods!
Youve been such an inspiration to me as an aspiring vegan from an indian background :). The only thing that has been challenging to recreate has been my south indian comfort food, which is yogurt rice. I have failed to find the perfect vegan yogurt to mimic that food from my childhood. Do you have any suggestions?
I pan fry it twice a week. I've never had much like getting anything crispy enough in the AF. Something I haven't tried yet though is putting it in a salt brine to drain the water. I think I will try that tomorrow so thanks for the idea! Great video!
I've just discovered your channel and I've been wanting to try to make recipes with tofu, thank you for this informative video, I'm really excited to try this. I even just ordered white rice flour. I'll be watching more of your entertaining videos 🤍
The absolute BEST method I've found is to air fry seasoned tofu, then coat it in a starch, and then fry or pan fry it! My god, it's good!
this video is a big life saver. i love deep fried tofu but never knew how to make them and this video is so clear in the instructions
This is SUCH a great video. Thank you so, so much for going through all of that bother to figure out the best set of ingredients/processes for each method, as well as comparing the methods for us. My only efforts at crispy tofu, over 5 years ago, were abysmal failures, with the starch peeling off in a soggy mess. It was edible, but not good, and definitely not crispy! I got disheartened, and hadn't tried it since. You've re-inspired me!
I really appreciated this video, I get intimidated by cooking but your focus on one ingredient and one simple outcome with thorough explanation between different methods was really nice to watch. A crispy tofu tier list :)
☺️ I’m delighted to hear that you found it helpful!
Nisha, you have changed my cooking life yet again! I followed your instructions for pan-frying the tofu and it was amazing. I didn’t have cornstarch so I used a mix of potato starch (despite your warning!) and panko breadcrumbs, cooked the tofu in coconut oil and it was just 👌. Thank you!
Hi Nisha, i tried the panfried tofu and loved it. It was even better when i reheated it the next day on a baking tray. It came out just as crispy as deep fried tofu would be.
Have you tried burmese style tofu yet? There are a bunch of videos on yt in how to make "tofu" with all kind of lentils. I so far used red and yellow lentils with spices and right now try baking the cubes according to your instructions. I would love to get your take in burmese style tofu though. Love from Austria!
I love the crunch from rice flour, I even used it for frying when I did eat meat!
Thanks for the great video Nisha! I made the pan-fried tofu last night and it was really good. I was shocked at how good it was. I seasoned it with some Seasoned Salt, pepper, onion powder and garlic powder. About 4 Tbsp of corn starch. I had to pull myself away otherwise I would have eaten the entire block!
By FAR, the easiest method is an air fryer oven. Most are the size of a small microwave so you can fit a lot of tofu. In fact, most have racks so your can do 2-3 layers simultaneously. I often air fry 3 lbs of to tofu at once. The greatest convenience, however, is that you never have to flip anything because there are heating elements above and below (like a toaster oven) and the trays are basically a screen so you have hot air blasting the bottom as well as the top. This recipe would take 15 mins and it's all hands off because there's no flipping. Plus you can do 2-3 lbs at once.
Your content is incredible! So useful and well researched. Absolutely love it❤
☺️ that’s so nice! Thank you thank you!
appreciate the tips on getting the water out of the tofu. I'm vegan 46 years and keep learning new tricks thanks
Thank you I can’t wait to to get your book I love try different vegan recipes
Thanks for this i just subscribed to the guide and i will be buying your cookbook before my birthday in September
🥰 thank you Ramya!
Thanks for doing all this work! Our favorite meathod is airfrying, as we feel it's just so easy and yeilds really great results. We've also been using a whole block in there and it's a standard smaller air fryer and has been still doing a great job. :)
I've never heard of soaking tofu in saltwater to remove excess moisture; will try this tonight! Thank you for all the effort that went into this video!
I tried the pan fried version and oh my God, this was actually the best tofu I ever made?! It got so crispy and I did it exactly like you did, I only used different spices. Hot salty water and then a starch spice mix is the way to go, from now on.
I'm in love!!! Tried the boiling water w/salt method...still used a ton of paper towels to blot out but these were the crispiest and tastiest tofu ... even my competitive bodybuilder workout buddies loved em.
What a wonderful channel and video! I've been looking for something like this for quite some time and I'm not just upvoting because you reinforced my belief that sauteing is the way to go. Really lovely stuff and I'm legitimately looking at getting your book now, and I'm not even Vegan!
Ive seen a lot of comments on other videos recently about people pressing their tofu instead of these other tried and true methods, so im glad you highlighted them! Also really happy that your preferred method is pan frying since thats the one I was most likely to do LOL
2:05 I won’t question your method, of it works it works, but I doubt osmosis would actually pull out water that fast. I had a look online, and I can’t find any sources stating that temperature affects osmosis, and I know from experience that in macroscopic bits of food osmosis takes hours for a noticeable affect.
Likely it’s more to do with the hot water, either cooking the surface or warming the whole block up to allow more water to escape. Maybe the salt helps idk.
Geek love! Really thinking I need to get your new cookbook. Thanks for comparing, contrasting, sharing and ranking.
I appreciate the amount of work that went into this. Thanks!
Thank you for spending lots of time and efforts to experiment with all the methods to make test less thing like Tofu into crunchy flavorful thing.
I love this video style and you are such a professional and really know what you are talking about. Thank you for this great content!
I just discovered your channel and subscribed based on this video. I am looking forward to seeing what else you have done in the past as well as what is yet to come. I had an amazing tofu dish in Lahaina, Maui (which tragically was devastated by fire recently). It was many years ago, but it was nut-crusted (Macadamia, if I recall correctly), but they ignored my requests for the recipe. I now don't recall too much about it, but the nut crust gave it some extra crispiness, and the dish included some asparagus, but the real selling point was the citrusy marinade that they used. I always tell people that tofu itself may be pretty bland, but it is a flavor sponge that really takes on the flavors of whatever it is cooked in.
If you are cooking for picky kids or tofu doubters that call it bland you can treat it like Thai sticky rice and make a small assortment of dipping sauces, like spicy mustard, soy glaze, duck sauce, etc. to keep it fun. I also like to bake it after mixing it with cornstarch and furikake sprinkles, honey optional if you want a little extra caramelization. It's a blank canvas and You are the painter.
Love the sound of ‘crunch!’
This was so helpful for me! Thank you. My usual method has been pan frying the tofu, but it never worked very well. I’m eager to try it using your instructions.
Merci Nisha,
Trying 34 different blocks of Tofu! Waouh! I learned a lot with your video as I've only cooked tofu once years ago & found it bland, chewy & to be forgotten!
But I've decided to try again & bought some smoked tofu. I thought may be it would be tastier.....Would you say the same cooking methods apply with smoked tofu?
Thanks a lot for your feedback & Good luck with the launch of your book. I've been watching your videos for a long time & made many of your recipes (although I'm not Vegan I love vegetarian/vegan food°. Your bright personality & good humour together with clear & explicit details make it a pleasure to watch.
Lots of love from Brittany (western France) 🥰
OMG thank you! Been aiming for 140 grams of protein a day (yes, I've done my research, and I've experimented on myself and this is best for me, at this time -- I'm over 50 and there are many reasons this is important for my body and me, your mileage may vary!) . . .and I'm always looking for better and tastier ways to get in all the protein I want. This is great -- thanks again!
I can’t wait for the new cookbook! I use the first one faithfully and it’s the best! Your friend from Ohio, Linda! 🥰🩷🤗
I've made hummus with her recipe - the one with a crispy lemon zest topping. Fantastic! The ice water tip was solid gold. Checking on pre ordering now.
What a great video - so instructive, clear and what a gorgeous teacher!
Have you ever tried to recreate Pei Wei's Baked Tofu (old way)? It's been a struggle to find the recipe online... If you're able to figure it out I'm sure a lot more people would be interested...
Tried the pan fried for the first time and Love it! Thank you for taking the time to put this together ❤
We had your pan fried tofu for dinner tonight. This will be my go to recipe from now on. It was just amazing. 🎉
I've been trying to perfect crispy tofu for years. This is the absolute BEST. Thank you Nisha 🎉