Crispy Tofu a la Erowid

Crispy Tofu Recipe

The intended goal is medium-thin slices of tofu with a strong flavor from a marinade, crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside, with the thinner pieces quite crispy. Although it is not intended to taste like meat at all, it is vaguely reminiscent of crispy bacon in general texture and flavor. It is a yummy snack by itself but also goes well on stir fry or on plain rice.

1. Take firm tofu and dry it further. This could include setting it on a board at an angle or patting with paper towels. The traditional method is to let it sit for a while with a weight on it.

2. While the tofu is drying, make the marinade. Key ingredients include rice vinegar, a small amount of soy sauce (too much will overpower the marinade), and some oil. Fresh or powdered ginger, black pepper, basil, hot pepper of chili powder all also work. The goal is a "strongly flavored, salty, salad-dressing thing with an asiany tang".

3. Slice the tofu medium thin, about 1/4"

4. Marinate the tofu for "a while", while pre-heating the oven to 425.

5. Lay out the tofu on a well oiled cookie sheet - there should be some frying going on during the baking.

6. Bake for about 45 minutes, flipping the tofu pieces once midway through. At that point, drizzle additional marinade on the tofu.

The tofu will continue to crisp/harden a little after it comes out of the oven, so don't wait until the tofu is completely crisp.