This pan-fried tofu is really quick to make. You can start cooking it as soon as you’ve sliced the tofu and heated your pan. Then it only takes a matter of minutes to cook.
You don’t need to pre-marinade the tofu as it absorbs the sauce as it cooks. The heat allows the tofu to absorb all the sauce.
You don’t need to press it to remove any moisture either. I’ve seen lots of recipes that recommend pressing the tofu for hours under a heavy weight, but you don’t need to do that with this recipe.
This pan-fried tofu is really simple, as it’s flavoured only with soy sauce (or you can use tamari). And you don’t need any oil to cook it. You just need a good quality non-stick pan. I use a Scanpan ceramic titanium fry pan and it works perfectly. The tofu doesn’t stick to it at all. As the soy sauce and water evaporate, the tofu gets browned in the pan.
This side dish pan-fried tofu can be served with any Asian style dish, such as a Buddha bowl. Or you can add this pan-fried tofu to Asian style salad, or to a stir-fry.
You will need to buy a hard or firm tofu to make this dish. (Not a silken/soft tofu). I buy my firm tofu from Aldi. It comes in a 450g pack and it’s cheaper there than any other stores that I’ve looked at.
- 450g firm tofu
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon water
- 2 spring onions, finely sliced
- 1 teaspoon black sesame seeds
- 1 teaspoon white sesame seeds
- Heat a large non-stick fry pan over medium heat. Add the slabs of tofu, soy sauce and the water. Bring to the boil then reduce heat and simmer for 3-4 minutes.
- Flip and cook for another 3-4 minutes, or until all the liquid has been absorbed.
- Place the tofu on a serving platter.
- Garnish with spring onions and sesame seeds.
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