Recently discovered pressing tofu and making air fried tofu

[ificandream]

I found a great recipe on the internet for air fried tofu that just requires cornstarch, seasonings and spraying with oil. The seasoning so far have been with paprika, but due to public demand, gonna try it sweet with splenda and maybe cinnamon.

Here's the recipe: https://vegetarianmamma.com/air-fryer-tofu/

Ingredients
1 block of extra firm tofu pressed
2-3 T cornstarch
1 T smoked paprika
salt and pepper

Instructions
Press your tofu to help remove extra liquid.
After pressing the tofu, cut into squares or little bite sized pieces.
Mix the cornstarch and smoked paprika together then sprinkle over tofu.
Season with salt and pepper. Put into Air Fryer basket.
Set temperature for 370 Degrees F. Turn on the Air Fryer for 12 minutes. (You may need to add a few minutes if you like crisper tofu) Your air fryer tofu is almost ready!
Every 4 minutes remove the air fryer basket and "shake" to stir up the tofu. Every air fryer is different, be sure to monitor how it is cooking.
Enjoy your air fryer tofu!

Notes
Based upon reader comment it seems that Air Fryers out there are varying widely and that is affecting this recipe.
*If your tofu is not crisping, consider adding time to your cook time. Just add in small amounts and remember to shake*
*If you are getting a chalky feeling to your tofu, be sure you are pressing the tofu for at least 10 minutes before hand in a tofu press. Then you can also lessen the amount of corn starch *
*You can also SPRAY a small amount of oil onto the tofu when you are shaking it mid way through. This will HELP your tofu to crisp up and get rid of any extra corn starch!*
Pro Tip: If you feel that your tofu is not crispy enough OR if the cornstarch is powdery you can spray the tofu with a spray oil in the that minute and that will fix the problem!
Side note: If you are in the market for an air fryer, I recently created a post about the best air fryers on the market. The post is based off of reviews from friends, family and online consumers! Be sure to check out the best air fryers on the market!
Air Fryer Tofu Tips:
Be sure to press your tofu before adding your cornstarch and paprika.
Be sure to coat your tofu on all sides so it cooks evenly.
Be sure that you are using a firm or extra firm tofu for this recipe.
Be sure to "shake" your air fryer basket during the cooking so that your tofu turns and cooks on all sides.
Nutrition
Calories: 74kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 2g | Sodium: 63mg | Potassium: 192mg | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 860IU | Calcium: 35mg | Iron: 1.5mg

[MLAA]

1. Sounds good! I need to find counter space for an air fryer.

[2naSalit]

3. I don't have room for mine on the counter...

So I cover it with a pillowcase and set it on a shelf in the hallway, only take it out when I use it.

[MLAA]

5. I'm overdue doing a major clean out of closets. Here's hoping I make room somewhere 🙂

[2naSalit]

7. When I use it...

I set it in the middle of the stove top between all the burners. I do like having it now that I've started using it, I inherited it so I felt obliged to try it. I was pleasantly surprised.

[2naSalit]

2. Today...

On a whim I bought some firm tofu. Now I have a recipe to try in my air fryer, thanks!

[sorcrow]

4. I use a George Foreman grill

I use a George Foreman grill to crisp up my tofu before I add it to stir fry dishes. A pannini press also should work.

Best regards,
Sorghum Crow

[ificandream]

6. Hmmm... interesting idea.

[Warpy]

8. My favorite way is to press the tofu, cut it into cubes

then roll it in a half and half mixture of cornmeal and grated Parmesan. I deep fry it in a wok, but an air fryer would certainly work.

Serve with a tomato shrimp cocktail sauce and some lemon wedges.

[Callalily]

9. Sounds delicious!

I use a tofu press, which works great. Bought it because I was tired of trying to press the tofu with a large can atop. Kept on falling off.

[Warpy]

10. I used a paper towel or kitchen towel on top of a section of the Sunday newspaper

the whole mess corralled on a cookie sheet. That kept it flat and stable, the towel keeping newsprint off the tofu.

The real trick is patting a little cornstarch on the tofu, otherwise it is a nasty, greasy mess because US stoves aren't hot enough to sear it properly. Tofu fried with a dusting of cornstarch is crispy and golden on the outside, soft on the inside, and ready for any sauce or salsa you've made to go with it. I especially like mango salsa with plain fried tofu.

Mango salsa (sweet and hot)

1 ripe mango, cubed
2 jalapeno peppers, minced
2 serrano peppers, minced
juice of 2 limes
1/4 c. cilantro leaves
Half a red onion, minced (optional)

Mix together and let sit in the fridge for at least 4 hours, for the flavors to combine. If you leave the pepper seeds out, this will have a little bite. Leave them in, it will have a bigger bite. I was just careless on removing them, so mine was in the middle. I brought it to pot lucks at work and patients who were awake in the middle of the night but who couldn't have salty chips would eat it out of a paper cup with a spoon. That's how nice it is.

[ificandream]

12. After much thought, I bought a tofu press.

I looked at the plastic ones, but I bought a bamboo one. It'll be here tomorrow.

[Phentex]

11. The air fryer is a game changer for tofu!

I don't even use cornstarch or rice flour sometimes. I just drizzle some oil and sprinkle on the seasonings. It stays crisp when added to a stir fry! Mmmmmmm....

[MayReasonRule]

13. Right on!!!

I'm making some Red Lentil Tofu this evening, I'm planning on "air frying" it tomorrow in our built-in Thermador on Convection Roast.

Can't wait!!!

Thanks for the great tip!

[Montauk6]

15. I too have been playing around with tofu since ditching animal products this past November

I've just been too lazy and impatient to do the freeze-thaw-freeze-thaw-press method which supposedly gives it that meatier consistency.

Just tonight, I was toying around with this recipe to get closer to the Colonel:

https://sweetsimplevegan.com/vegan-kfc-fried-chicken/

Only thing was, I used mooshed up tortilla chips and Mary's Gone Crackers instead of corn flakes for the final breading, and instead of deep or air frying, used my convection oven at 450-roast (they say a convy's one big air fryer anyway).

It wasn't quite identical to the famous original recipe but I'm gonna pat myself on the back for a worthy effort nonetheless.😊