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Coconut Crusted Tofu

YIELD: 24 pieces

The perfect crunch meets the perfect melt-in-your-mouth tofu experience in this tasty fried tofu recipe that will keep them coming back for more!

Cubes of silken tofu are coated in a brown sugar and soy sauce batter, then rolled in shredded coconut, panko crumbs, and sesame seeds. This method of battering and frying silken tofu creates a crispy shell that keeps the inside moist while adding crunchy flavor to the outside of every delicious morsel.

These vegan coconut crusted tofu bites rival their coconut shrimp counterparts and can be enjoyed by both vegans and omnivores alike! 

Coconut Crusted Tofu

INGREDIENTS:

1 package Mori-Nu Silken Tofu Firm

Oil for frying

Sweet and sour dipping sauce


FLOUR

1/2 cup cornstarch

 

DIP

1/3 cup coconut cream

3 tbsp brown sugar

2 tbsp soy sauce

 

CRUST

3/4 heaping cup shredded coconut, unsweetened

1/2 heaping cup panko crumbs

2 tsp black sesame seeds

PREPARATION:

1. Cube tofu into 24 bite-sized pieces.

2. Using three bowls, add cornstarch to one, dip ingredients to another, and crust ingredients to the last bowl. Mix dip ingredients until sugar has dissolved, and toss crust ingredients until well mixed.

3. Gently roll one tofu cube in cornstarch until all sides are coated, then quickly dip it into coconut sauce, wetting all sides before rolling in panko-coconut crumbs.

4. Fry in oil over medium heat, carefully turning each cube to brown all sides. Oil should be hot enough for tofu cubes to sizzle upon contact.

5. Remove tofu from pan and drain on paper towel-lined plate.

6. Repeat with all pieces, cooking in batches and adding more oil as necessary.

7. Serve immediately with a sweet and sour dipping sauce such as plum sauce or spicy chili lime sauce.


TIPS

No need to wrap tofu in paper towels or dry it off prior to cooking. The moisture is needed to help the cornstarch stick.

When the dip gets low in the bowl, use a spoon to help pour some on top of the cubes to cover all sides. Do not leave the tofu in the wet dip too long or the cornstarch will start to come off.

Sesame seeds tend to settle towards the bottom of the crust mix, so make sure to scoop them back up to the top occasionally for an even coating.

Change oil partway through if leftover coconut pieces are burning. Alternatively, remove leftover coconut pieces to avoid burning.

For a quick sweet and sour sauce, simply mix lime juice with maple syrup or sweetener, to taste. Or select from a variety of pre-made sauces sold at stores.

PLANT-BASED: This recipe uses only plant-based ingredients with no egg and no dairy!

GLUTEN-FREE: We used all gluten-free ingredients. Mori-Nu Silken Tofu Firm is Certified Gluten Free. Make sure to check gluten-free labels on other ingredients.

PRODUCTS USED FOR THE RECIPE

  • Firm Tofu
Previous Recipe Tofu Jalapeño Poppers
Next Recipe Triple Onion Soup

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