I finally nailed crispy tofu after three years of soggy cubes

Back in 2021, my first try in my old apartment was a total fail... the tofu just steamed. Last month, I started pressing it for a full 30 minutes with a heavy cookbook. Last week, I tossed the cubes in just a teaspoon of cornstarch and a little oil before air frying at 400 for 15 minutes, shaking halfway. It came out perfect and crunchy. What other veggie proteins work well with this method?

3 comments

3 Comments

grace_fox32mo ago

That cornstarch trick works on cauliflower too.

rose_young2mo agoMost Upvoted

Saw a cooking blog that said the same thing, @grace_fox3. They tossed florets in a little cornstarch before roasting and swore it made them super crispy, almost like they were fried. I tried it last week and it really does give a nice crunch on the outside while the inside stays soft. I mean, it's not a magic fix for soggy veggies, but it's a solid trick. Maybe it's just me but I like it way better than just oil and salt.

campbell.robin17d ago

So @rose_young are you saying you did the same ratio of cornstarch to oil you would normally use or did you cut back on the oil? I tried this on broccoli once and it turned out kind of gummy because I think I went too heavy on the cornstarch. Cauliflower seems like it would hold up better since it's firmer but I'm wondering if you have to adjust the amount depending on what vegetable you're using.