Fried tofu is one of my favorite vegetarian meal options, but I pretty much always do the same thing with it; I cut it into either slices or cubes. While there's nothing wrong with that, I was recently quite intrigued when I came across a completely different way to prepare tofu: grate it on a box grater like a potato and then fry it like a hash. As long as you get the extra firm variety, the grating works surprisingly well, and the tofu strands keep their shape and texture perfectly throughout the frying process.
The beauty of the grating method is that you end up with a lot of surface area on the tofu, all of which will absorb the flavor of any spices and other ingredients you add to the pan. For this Asian-inspired recipe, I stirred in curry powder, soy sauce and rice vinegar and added peas, green onions and shredded carrots. That by itself makes a delicious snack but to make it a whole meal I suggest you serve the tofu hash with cilantro fried rice. The cilantro adds a bit of freshness and pairs very well with the curry flavors.
Another great thing about tofu hash is that it reheats very well in the microwave, so it's an excellent option for lunch to take to work or merely a make-ahead meal.
Recipe
Ingredients
For the curried tofu hash:
- 3 green onions white and green parts
- ½ carrot
- 14- ounce block extra firm tofu
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 ½ teaspoons curry powder
- ⅓ cup frozen peas
- 1 ½ tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons rice vinegar
For the cilantro fried rice:
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
- 2 cups cooked white rice
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- ¼ cup finely chopped cilantro
Instructions
For the curried tofu hash:
- Finely chop the green onion, then set aside.
- Peel and shred the carrot, then set aside.
- Pat the tofu dry with paper towels, then grate on a box grater.
- In a non-stick pan, heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil until shimmering.
- Add the tofu to the oil and fry, stirring frequently, until it starts to turn light-brown (about 7 minutes).
- Stir in the carrot and fry for 2 minutes.
- Stir in the green onion and fry for 1 minute.
- Stir in the curry powder and the peas and fry until the peas are thawed.
- Stir in the soy sauce and the rice vinegar.
- Season with more soy sauce to taste.
For the cilantro fried rice:
- Lightly beat the egg, then set aside.
- Heat the oil in a non-stick pan until shimmering.
- Add the rice to the pan and fry, stirring frequently, until it starts to brown (about 10 minutes).
- Push the rice to the sides of the pan to create a small, empty space in the middle of the pan.
- Pour the remaining oil into the middle of the pan.
- Drizzle the egg into the middle of the pan and let sit, without stirring, for 10 seconds.
- Stir to distribute the egg evenly in the rice.
- Turn the heat off and stir in the soy sauce and the cilantro.
Jennifer Bliss says
This looks GREAT! I need more vegan hashes in my life!
Katie Trant says
Vegan hashes are the best!
VeggyMalta says
Great food advise… this tofu hash is awesome … inspirational blogging and recipe. Will certainly try this out. i love good vegetarian ideas to try and share. Thanks