Enjoy the flavors of the Caribbean with Jerk Tofu Fingers and Coconut Rice. There are a lot of ingredients in this recipe, but it comes together very quickly and makes enough for leftovers throughout the week. Leftovers reheat quickly and taste great. I like making my own jerk seasoning so I can control the spiciness of the tofu sticks. Regular jerk seasoning would be too spicy for many kids' taste buds, but reduce the spiciness and these tofu fingers are a favorite with kids and adults alike. This recipe requires advanced planning because the tofu must be frozen and thawed to give it the right chewy, meaty texture for these sticks.
Remove tofu from the carton. Stand it on its smallest side. Slice tofu lengthwise creating two thin slabs of tofu. Slice into ⅜ inch slices (a little smaller than half).
Lay tofu sticks on a tray in a single layer. Freeze slices completely (at least 4 hours). Remove from the freezer a few hours before preparing and let thaw completely. I usually freeze the tofu overnight then defrost it in the fridge during the day before making it for dinner. If I need to thaw the tofu quickly, I place tofu in a warm oven (170 degrees) until thawed.
Whisk together soy milk, brown rice flour and all seasonings. *Use ½ a teaspoon cayenne pepper for mildly spicy sticks or more to taste. Let sit for 15 minutes.
Pat each tofu stick completely dry on paper towels, gently pressing with the paper towel to remove excess water.
Heat a skillet over medium heat. Using a pastry brush, brush the skillet with oil, such as avocado oil. For oil free tofu sticks, use a good non-stick pan and omit oil.
Dip each piece of tofu into the batter and cover with a thick coating. Lay to fry in the hot, oiled skillet on one of the wider sides of the stick. Lay each tofu stick at least ½ inch apart.
Cook for 3-4 minutes until golden brown, then flip onto the other wide side and cook an additional 3-4 minutes.
Notes: Why freeze the tofu? Freezing then thawing tofu removes the water from the tofu and changes its texture. It gets a chewier, meatier texture.
Note: This is a large recipe so plan on having leftovers to reheat.
To reheat: Heat a skillet to medium heat, lay sticks in a single layer and heat for 2 minutes. Flip and heat another minute or two. Serve.
Serving suggestion: Serve with coconut rice and pineapple.
Ingredients
Directions
Remove tofu from the carton. Stand it on its smallest side. Slice tofu lengthwise creating two thin slabs of tofu. Slice into ⅜ inch slices (a little smaller than half).
Lay tofu sticks on a tray in a single layer. Freeze slices completely (at least 4 hours). Remove from the freezer a few hours before preparing and let thaw completely. I usually freeze the tofu overnight then defrost it in the fridge during the day before making it for dinner. If I need to thaw the tofu quickly, I place tofu in a warm oven (170 degrees) until thawed.
Whisk together soy milk, brown rice flour and all seasonings. *Use ½ a teaspoon cayenne pepper for mildly spicy sticks or more to taste. Let sit for 15 minutes.
Pat each tofu stick completely dry on paper towels, gently pressing with the paper towel to remove excess water.
Heat a skillet over medium heat. Using a pastry brush, brush the skillet with oil, such as avocado oil. For oil free tofu sticks, use a good non-stick pan and omit oil.
Dip each piece of tofu into the batter and cover with a thick coating. Lay to fry in the hot, oiled skillet on one of the wider sides of the stick. Lay each tofu stick at least ½ inch apart.
Cook for 3-4 minutes until golden brown, then flip onto the other wide side and cook an additional 3-4 minutes.
Notes: Why freeze the tofu? Freezing then thawing tofu removes the water from the tofu and changes its texture. It gets a chewier, meatier texture.
Note: This is a large recipe so plan on having leftovers to reheat.
To reheat: Heat a skillet to medium heat, lay sticks in a single layer and heat for 2 minutes. Flip and heat another minute or two. Serve.
Serving suggestion: Serve with coconut rice and pineapple.