Taking tofu to the next level!

These crispy battered tofu cubes are a treat topped on noodle and rice bowls or on top of your favourite stir-fried veggies. This recipe uses chickpea/garbanzo bean flour to coat for the batter making them rich in protein and totally gluten free. Most delicious straight out of the oven and cooled long enough not to burn your tongue when you go in for your first sample…and then a second! Make sure they make it to the table! 

• Gluten free
• Dairy free
• Refined sugar free
• Vegan/vegetarian
• Nut free
• Cleanse program friendly

Ingredients:

• 1 package extra firm tofu, cubed into about an inch
• 1/4 cup sesame oil
• 1/4 cup Bragg’s or Tamari
• 1/4 cup coconut aminos
• 3/4 cup garbanzo bean flour
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4-1/2 tsp cayenne powder, depending on heat preference
• cracked pepper

Directions:

• Combine sesame oil, Bragg’s/Tamari and coconut aminos in a storage container big enough to hold your tofu.
• Add cubed tofu to the marinade and toss to coat. Cover and let sit for at least 20 minutes, tossing occasionally to disperse marinade. Or, place in a sealed container and flip every few minutes. No harm in letting the tofu marinade as long as you want.
• When ready to bake the tofu, pre-heat oven to 400F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine garbanzo bean flower, onion, garlic and cayenne with a twist of black pepper (optional). Break up any clumps of flour.
• Scoop tofu out of the marinade and gently toss into the flour mix. Slowly pour about half of the marinade into the flour. It will become sticky and clumpy. When the flour starts to stick to the tofu (and probably your hands) gently spread the cubes out on the baking sheet, spaced from each other.
• Part of the trick to this recipe is to find the sweet spot on the batter. If it is too dry or too wet, it tends to fall off the tofu as it bakes. When it is just right, it will coat your tofu and come out crispy on the outside and soft in the middle! Just don’t add all the marinade at once. Perhaps about two-thirds of the liquid.
• Place in oven and bake for 20 minutes. Remove, assess batter and place back in oven no more than 5 minutes. If you over cook the cubes, the tofu can get a little rubbery in the middle!

Enjoy these crispy critters on a noodle or rice bowl like in this Build Your own Noodle Bowl recipe.