Black Pepper Tofu “Chicken” Steaks
Really “meaty” tofu coated in a peppery, slightly sweet, and really savoury sauce served over rice and a side of sautéed vegetables. These pieces of tofu really go well over salads, in wraps, sandwiches, or even as is!
Ingredients
Tofu
- 1 lb extra firm tofu frozen overnight and thawed (I used 2 blocks that are 1/2 lb each)
- Neutral oil for pan-frying
Black Pepper Sauce
- 3 tbsp soy sauce or more to taste
- 1/4 cup room temperature water
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- 2 tbsp maple syrup sub with other liquid sweetener or sugar
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar or distilled white vinegar
- 2 tsp ground black pepper
- 2 tsp sriracha or other hot sauce, adjust according to desired spice
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
Vegetables (totally up to you!)
- 1 small red bell pepper sliced (optional)
- 1 small green bell pepper sliced (optional)
- 1 small onion sliced (optional)
For Serving
- Steamed rice for serving
Instructions
Preparing the Tofu
- Slice your block or blocks of tofu into 3/4 to 1-inch thick slabs. Place them on a tray and then leave to freeze at least overnight to harden. No need to press the tofu or squeeze out the liquid before freezing (because you’ll want the water inside the tofu to crystallise and create the amazing texture!)Do note: certain brands and suppliers hold up really well and have a meatier texture while some are more on the spongier side. So it’s also a matter of trial and error and finding which tofu works best.
- After freezing the tofu, leave it to thaw in room temperature until the ice has melted.
- When soft, carefully squeeze out the water from the tofu. I did this by carefully placing a slab of tofu between my palms and flattening it to squeeze out the liquid. The tofu will be very delicate at this point so be careful not to over squeeze it since it can easily break apart. Squeeze out the liquid from the remaining tofu. Set the tofu aside.
Sauce
- Mix all the sauce ingredients together in a bowl. Feel free to adjust the seasonings depending on your desired taste. Set aside.
Cooking the Tofu
- Heat a large non-stick pan or skillet over high heat. Add some oil to the pan. Once hot, place the slabs of tofu.
- Leave the tofu to cook for 3 to 4 minutes on each side until golden brown.
- Lower the heat to medium. Give the sauce a good mix again since the starch tends to sit at the bottom and then add in the sauce to the tofu.
- Once the sauce bubbles, lower the heat and mix well since the sauce will slowly thicken. Leave the tofu to cook in the sauce.
- It’ll absorb the sauce and the sauce will slowly thicken as it cooks down. Be careful not to cook the tofu in too high heat because the sugars from sauce can easily burn. Scoop up some sauce from the base of the pan to pour over the tofu so all sides can be evenly coated.
- Flip over the tofu as needed and leave to cook until sauce has been absorbed by the tofu and has thickened into a glaze. Turn off the heat and then slice the tofu into half, if desired. I just cut them up with kitchen scissors!
Deglazing the Pan & Cooking Veggies
- I prepared some sliced bell peppers and onion to cook down in the sauce. I used the same pan as the tofu and simple added a bit of water to deglaze the pan then before adding some sliced onion and bell pepper.
- I simply sautéed the vegetables until tender and served it along with the tofu.
Serving the Tofu
- I served the tofu with rice and the vegetables for a really hearty meal. You can store the leftover tofu in the fridge to use for other meals and slice them into strips to top on salads, or add into wraps. Enjoy!
WATCH Video
NUTRITIONAL INFO
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 163kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 1162mg | Potassium: 299mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 12IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 68mg | Iron: 2mg
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