Crispy tofu fingers

By Lauren Toyota

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I can eat tofu any and ALL ways, but I love breading and baking it like this. The technique gives it the same texture as chicken fingers, so it’s perfect for adding a meaty component to your grain bowls. You’re also going to be obsessed with them once you try the HFF Famous Bowls (page 153), where they take center stage!

YIELDS

Ingredients

1 brick (16 oz/450 g) medium-firm or firm tofu
1/2 cup multigrain or panko-style bread crumbs
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons granulated garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon unsweetened nondairy milk
Vegetable oil spray, for baking

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with a Silpat mat or parchment paper.
Drain the tofu from the packaging water and pat dry with a clean tea towel. Cut into eight thick sticks or fingers if eating as a snack or finger food. For use in the HFF famous bowls, you can cut those in half again for 16 chunks. In a mixing bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, chili powder, garlic powder, thyme, oregano, basil, sea salt, and black pepper.
In a small bowl, mix the Dijon with the nondairy milk until smooth and well combined.
Brush the Dijon mixture evenly on each piece of tofu, coating all sides well. Coat each piece fully in the breadcrumb mixture. Place the breaded pieces on the prepared baking sheet.
Spray the pieces with a light coating of vegetable oil and bake for 30 minutes, flipping halfway through the bake time. They should be a deep golden brown. Refrigerate leftovers and consume within five days. You can reheat pieces on a baking sheet in a 425°F oven for five to ten minutes.
HOT TIP: This recipe is easy to customize for different flavor profiles and purposes. If you don’t have Dijon mustard for the coating, use hot sauce, hoisin, or another tasty condiment. You can also swap water for the nondairy milk. You can switch up the herbs and spices in the breading, use other types of breadcrumbs, or add hemp hearts, ground flax, chia seeds, or other things to the breadcrumbs for extra nutrition or crunch. You can also cut the tofu into triangles or tear big chunks by hand for less uniform pieces. The options are endless.

Excerpted from hot for food all day by Lauren Toyota. Copyright © 2021 by Lauren Toyota. Published by Penguin Canada, a division of Penguin Random House Canada Limited. Reproduced by arrangement with the Publisher. All rights reserved.