Tofu Vegan Banh Mi

There are four elements to this recipe and it can take a few days to prepare, but it is entirely worth the effort. The tofu needs to be pressed the night before and you can prepare the glaze and mayo in advance too. The salad and dressing are best fresh and will need to be made on the day.

Unbalanced

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Step 1

The tofu needs to be pressed the night before. To press the tofu, take if out of the packaging and place it on a plate with a lip, then place a flat plate on top of the tofu. Add something heavy, at least twice the weight of the tofu (2 unopened cans of beans do the trick) to the plate. The next day, carefully pour the excess liquid that has been pressed out.

Step 2

Cut the tofu length ways through the middle, then again width ways, and cut along the width 4-5 times to create rectangular pieces. You want a fair amount of surface area on each piece to get all crispy in the pan.

Step 3

In a bowl, mix together tofu pieces, soy sauce and maple syrup and leave to marinate for 10-15 minutes, giving it a gentle mix every so often.

Step 4

Cover the base of a baking tray with rice flour, season with salt and pepper and five spice.

Step 5

Dust the tofu pieces with the flour, really dredging them and making sure all sides are coated. Do not stack them, space them out.

Step 6

Add enough oil to a large frying pan (skillet) to go half way up the side of the tofu. Heat the oil over medium heat, do not add the tofu until the oil is heated.

Step 7

Fry the tofu in batches so as not to overcrowd the pan, turning the pieces with tongs or chop sticks to get a lovely even, pale crust. Remove to a tray lined with kitchen paper (paper towel), and carefully tip the oil out of the pan. You can filter this oil and use it again. Wipe out the pan.

Step 8

Add all ingredients to a saucepan and place over medium heat until reduced by roughly half.

Step 9

Leave to steep for at least an hour, overnight is better. Strain and transfer to a jar. This will keep in the fridge for a month. It will be fairly watery in consistency, but it will get thick and sticky once you cook it with the tofu.

Step 10

Make the dressing by mixing all ingredients together in a large bowl until all the sugar has dissolved. It should be sweet, salty, sour, and really zingy, with a bit of heat.

Step 11

Make sure the milk alternative and oil are both room temperature or else you will have trouble emulsifying them. Place in a tall jug or pitcher with the maple syrup, vinegar and mustard, and blend with a stick blender until mixed and thick enough to dollop. Add salt and lemon to taste. This will keep in the fridge 1 week.

Step 12

Add two thirds of the glaze to the tofu pan and reduce over medium heat until it thickens slightly. Add in your fried tofu pieces and coat them in the glaze and allow them to warm through.

Step 13

When ready to serve, add the salad veg to the dressing adding the herbs right before serving.

Step 14

Serve the tofu straight away in the baguette, with the tossed salad and the mayo. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.