Coconut Crusted Tofu with Peach-Lemongrass Salsa
Submitted by happyzhangbo
Crispy coconut-crusted tofu steaks pan-fried golden brown, served with a fresh peach-lemongrass salsa spiked with jalapeno and basil. Vegan, ready in 30 minutes, and bursting with summer flavor.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
10 minCOOK
8 minREADY
30 minTofu skeptics, pull up a chair. This one converts people.
Extra-firm tofu gets sliced into thick steaks, pressed dry, and coated in a mix of unsweetened shredded coconut, flour, and cornstarch. A quick sear in canola oil gives each piece a shatteringly crisp, golden shell while the inside stays creamy and tender.
The real scene-stealer is the salsa. Fresh peaches, minced lemongrass, jalapeno heat, torn basil, and a splash of rice vinegar come together into something bright, fragrant, and utterly addictive. It’s the kind of topping that makes you forget there’s tofu underneath.
Chef Tips
- Pat the tofu bone dry with paper towels before coating. Moisture is the enemy of a crispy crust.
- Use ripe, juicy peaches for the salsa. If fresh peaches aren’t in season, thawed frozen peach slices work in a pinch.
- Don’t crowd the skillet. Cook in two batches so each steak gets direct contact with the hot pan.
- Make the salsa first and let it sit while you prep the tofu. The flavors meld and intensify as they rest.
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Set a wire rack on a large baking sheet.
Combine peaches, jalapenos, lemongrass, basil, brown sugar, vinegar and ¼ teaspoon salt in a medium bowl; toss to combine.
Mix coconut, flour and cornstarch in a shallow dish.
Cut the block of tofu lengthwise into 8 thin steaks.
Pat the tofu slices dry with a paper towel, sprinkle with the remaining ½ teaspoon salt, then press both sides of each tofu steak into the coconut mixture.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
Add 4 tofu steaks and cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side, adjusting heat as necessary to prevent scorching.
Transfer the tofu steaks to the rack-lined baking sheet and place in the oven to keep warm.
Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in the skillet over medium-high heat; cook the remaining tofu steaks until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side.
Serve the tofu with the peach salsa.
Comments
