CRISPY TOFU WITH SWEET AND SOUR SAUCE RECIPES

Steps:

• Press the tofu: Wrap the block of tofu in a clean tea towel, and place on a cutting board. Weigh down the tofu with a sheet pan topped with something heavy, such as a large skillet, cans or books, until the tea towel is soaked, about 30 minutes.
• While the tofu is pressed, prep the zucchini: Halve the zucchini crosswise, then cut each piece lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick planks. Finally, cut each plank lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick “fries.” Place the zucchini fries in a large colander set over a medium bowl. Add 1 teaspoon salt, and toss until evenly coated. Set aside to drain.
• Meanwhile, make the sauce: In a measuring cup, stir together the apricot preserves, rice vinegar, soy sauce, red-pepper flakes, 1 teaspoon onion powder and 2 teaspoons water until smooth. Transfer to a small dish for dipping, and set aside.
• Slice the pressed tofu in half horizontally, and cut each of those halves into 8 rectangular pieces, creating 16 nuggets total. Directly on the cutting board, season the tofu with 1 teaspoon salt and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon onion powder, smearing each piece around to catch all the seasonings.
• In a large bowl, toss to combine the potato starch and the remaining 1 teaspoon salt. Place the tofu in the starch, and gently toss with your hands until each piece is evenly coated.
• Fry the tofu: Heat a large skillet over medium-high, and add a thin layer of oil, enough to coat the bottom of the pan. Add the tofu in a single layer, and cook, flipping a couple of times, until lightly golden on both sides, about 10 minutes total. Transfer the cooked tofu to a towel-lined plate to drain, and season it with salt to taste.
• To serve, transfer the tofu and zucchini to a large platter, and serve alongside the dipping sauce.

Steps:

• Remove tofu from package. Place between paper towels or tea towels and put a moderately heavy book on top for 30 minutes to press out the water.
• Slice into 9 slices, cutting each in half (18 pieces).
• Beat egg with water and set aside.
• Combine wheat germ, flour and breadcrumbs and set aside.
• Dip each piece of tofu into egg mixture and then gently press into crumb mixture, covering well. Place on greased baking sheet and bake at 350’ for 30 minutes, turning once.
• While tofu is cooking, mix sauce ingredients except for the cornstarch/water into a small saucepan and whisk over medium heat until sugar and salt are dissolved.
• Add cornstarch mixture and whisk until the sauce thickens. When thick, turn off heat and set aside.
• When tofu is cooked, pour sauce on top and gently toss or use spoon to coat. Sauce should be thick and sticky….
• Top with sesame seeds and serve.