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Versatile, Quick & Easy Braised Tofu Squares

Versatile, Quick & Easy Braised Tofu Squares

The first time I had braised tofu, it was at a local Chinese restaurant in Doylestown, Pennsylvania called Golden Chopsticks. It was served with a delicious veggie sauce on top. So heavenly – and so damn simple and inexpensive to make at home!

My favorite toppers for this quick and easy dish include tomato sauce and parmesan cheese, salad dressing, salt and vinegar – and ultimate fave Tasty Bite Indian Jaipur Vegetables. But really, any Indian or other sauce-based dish goes well with these delish golden-brown tofu squares, which resemble paneer, but with a snappy, crispy-soft texture that will have you making more batches of these on a regular basis.

They store quickly and easily into the fridge, where they’ll stay fresh for a few days – if they last that long. For meals and snacks, I take a few out, and pair them with whatever moves me – sometimes I julienne them onto an arugula salad and drizzle on some of Brianna’s awesome Creamy Balsamic dressing…or just place a few on a plate with some steak sauce, cut fresh carrots and perhaps a little cilantro on the side.

Not only are they easy and versatile, they only really have two ingredients – tofu and oil – in addition to whatever condiments you like:

Organic Tofu

Olive Oil Canola Oil

  • 1 package firm or extra firm organic tofu (usually just under a pound, or 400 grams)
  • Cooking oil of your choice (I mostly use canola* and/or olive oil…and use just enough to thinly coat the bottom of a skillet)
  • Condiments of your choice
*Canola oil was chosen for its low saturated fat profile (and as a money saver). Choose any oil that is right for your purposes, but be wary of the saturated fat content.

You’ll also need a skillet, a sharp knife, a stove or fire…

Iron Skillet

…and a small, broken, much-loved and handle-less spatula of your choice. I kid you not, it makes turning these little squares over in a hot oily pan a piece of cake:

Fave Broken Small Spatula

First, set your stove burner to just about medium, then open up your package of tofu and slice it…I usually slice it long-ways in half first, then into sevenths width-wise, then blot the squares on a napkin to shorten the cooking time…

Initial Stove Setting Cut Tofu

Blot Tofu

After blotting the tofu squares for a few minutes, carefully place them into your heated and oiled skillet:

Place Tofu Squares in Pan

I find that 14 squares fit perfectly into my 10-inch / 25.4 cm iron skillet…

14 Tofu Squares in a 10-inch Iron Skillet

Let the squares cook on medium heat for at least 5 minutes, if not 10. The first side can take some time to cook to the desired texture because tofu has a high moisture content.

When you start to see the browning of the squares at the bottom edge, that’s when it’s safe to lift these little babies up without tearing them apart to check for doneness:

Browned Tofu Bottom

If you don’t wait until you see the browned edges, you risk breaking up the squares quite a bit. A little patience goes a long way!

Take your broken small spatula and gingerly lift up the browned-on-the-bottom square like so…

Check the Doneness of the First Side

If your squares look solidly golden-brown like in the picture below, they are ready to turn over!

Crispy-Soft Perfection!

Cook the other sides of the squares for several more minutes, keeping a close watch on them. Usually, the second sides take a little less time than the first.

2nd Side Cooking

Keep watch until you see the brown bottom edges again. When both sides are done, they are ready to be removed from the pan…

Finished Braised Tofu Squares

Serve them on a plate…sometimes I just eat them plain, or with a little salt and vinegar (if you find soy or tofu hard to digest, some vinegar really helps)…or even a healthy dusting of cinnamon and stevia:

Plain Braised Tofu Squares

These are quite good by themselves, the crispy-soft texture contrast is just fantastic!

Delicious Braised Tofu Squares!

…and these little beauties are a hit at parties (and poker games, as I found out around two months ago during the holidays).

They are wonderful with tomato sauce (or even steak sauce) and served on a pine-needle green plate…

Braised Tofu Squares Know How to Party!

Dip Them in Tomato Sauce...

…they also pair very well with salad dressings, and are a great topping for salads…

Great with Salad Dressing

…and with one of my other faves, Tasty Bite Indian meals!

Fantastic with Indian Food!

Any way you use these, they are a very tasty time saver…keep them in your fridge for when you want some quick, delicious protein!

Enjoy!

Yours in Great Health,

Alison