Soft Tofu, Cooked To Perfection
With the obesity epidemic that is occurring in the United States today, many are concerned about the effects of heavily fried foods. Thus, it would not seem illogical for fried soft tofu to be objected to. However, because tofu itself is a healthy dish, even frying it does little to take away its nutritional benefits. (Kind of like tofu desserts!) So long as you prepare fried soft tofu using healthy oils, it is yet another healthy way to eat tofu.
A Golden Crispy Delight
Believe it or not, you can prepare soft tofu so that it has a golden, crispy texture—all you need to do is deep fry it! While stir frying is perhaps the most common way to prepare tofu, deep frying it is just as delicious, and just as healthy. In order to prepare deep fried soft tofu, all you will need is 1 tub of soft tofu and canola oil. About 20 minutes before you are ready to begin frying the soft tofu, lay out a thick layer of newspaper and place a layer of paper towels on top of the newspaper. Rinse the tofu well and cut to the desired size. The smaller the pieces, the crispier the tofu will turn out to be. Lay a paper towel on top of the pieces to absorb the moisture.
In the meantime, fill a large pan with canola oil. The height of the oil should be about half that of the length of the tofu pieces. Heat over medium to medium high heat. Slide the tofu into the pan once the oil has fully heated. Make sure not to drop the pieces in, as they might splash the hot oil. Use tongs or spatulas to handle the tofu pieces while they are in the hot oil. Fry until nicely golden on both sides (flip midway through). Place the fried soft tofu in a colander lined with paper towels to drain the excess oil.
To store the tofu for later, wait until it has completely cooled and place in freezer bags. You can now serve the delicious fried soft tofu, without worrying about health consequences.
A Delicious Alternative
In a country where French fries and onion rings deep fried in oil are the preferred fair, finding a way to eat healthy while still getting that deep fried taste can be difficult. However, fried soft tofu is a great way to do just that. Even frying tofu cannot take away from the many nutritional benefits tofu contains.
