For flavorful, crispy and versatile tofu: Just grate it

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Nisha Vora’s evolution as a vegan cook sounds so familiar. When she first decided to go vegan eight years ago, she says, “I didn’t know how to make my food taste interesting.” That’s because, like so many others in her position (including me), she was single-mindedly focused on what she subtracted from her go-to dishes to adapt them to her new diet.

“So once I took out all of the chicken and the fish and the sour cream and the mayo and the butter, I was just left with the other stuff that I was eating, but it just felt so boring and bland,” she told me in a Zoom call from her San Diego home. “And I’m not someone who can just eat to live.”

One she started focusing on the possibilities rather than the limitations – and on the idea of building flavor – everything changed. “I started to realize, okay, I have a cauliflower, so how can I make it the most delicious cauliflower? Rather than just throw it in a stir-fry with a bunch of other vegetables.”

Vora’s new approach led her to leave her job as a lawyer and create Rainbow Plant Life, an incredibly popular website, YouTube channel and Instagram account. The author of “The Vegan Instant Pot Cookbook,” Vora took on a bigger task with her follow-up “Big Vegan Flavor” distills her many years of hard-won cooking wisdom into more than 150 recipes, plus tips for building flavor into every meal.

One of the major points of her book is that this is a distinct cuisine with its own principles and strategies, and in that way, she and I are nothing short of kindred spirits. (My new book, “Mastering the Art of Plant-Based Cooking,” employs a similar philosophy – and, coincidentally, was published on the same date as Vora’s.)

What Vora does so beautifully in “Big Vegan Flavor” is break down plant-based cooking into its crucial elements, writing about how to achieve various textures, make condiments and other “flavor boosters,” properly cook legumes and grains, explore the ins and outs of tofu and tempeh, and more. For the latter, she shows how the way the main ingredients are cut (or crumbled) affects the cooking method, and that leads to wonderfully diverse results.

Perhaps you’ve cut tofu into cubes, squares or slabs, or torn it into nuggets. Maybe you’ve frozen and thawed it. But have you grated it?

My favorite recipe (so far) from Vora’s book shows how grating tofu – preferably the super-firm kind, which is usually vacuum-packed – can lead to something she describes as “delightfully crispy, chewy and super-savory,” and in my testing that is no exaggeration. After pan-frying it with aromatics (including Thai or serrano peppers), you stir in a vibrant sauce made of soy sauce, Chinese black vinegar, gochugaru, toasted sesame oil and a little sugar. Eat it with grains and vegetables, or, as was my preference, in lettuce cups.

Vora named the recipe I Can’t Believe It’s Not Chicken. I’m officially naming it Spicy Grated Tofu, something more descriptive for readers who find it outside the context of a cookbook, but I’m also giving it a nickname, at least in my mind: Tofu With Big Flavor.

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Spicy Grated Tofu

Pan-frying grated tofu gives it a delightfully crispy and chewy texture, while pan-Asian condiments combine for an umami-rich, savory sauce. The result: a surprisingly meaty dish that you can eat with rice or noodles, in lettuce cups or fresh spring rolls, on salads or wrapped in tortillas.

Servings: 4 (makes about 3 cups)

Total time: 30 minutes

Storage: Refrigerate for up to 4 days.

Where to buy: Gochugaru and Chinese black vinegar can be found in well-stocked supermarkets, Asian and/or global markets and online.

Substitutions: Super-firm tofu >> extra-firm tofu. Want it less spicy? >> Seed the chiles before slicing. Thai chiles >> serrano or jalapeño. Gluten-free? >> Use 2 teaspoons rice vinegar and 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar instead of Chinese black vinegar (which is usually fermented with grains), and use tamari instead of soy sauce. Gochugaru >> 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons ground Sichuan pepper or sriracha.

Notes: You’ll have a little tofu left over from a 14-ounce package. Refrigerate for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months, then pan-fry for salads or grain bowls.

INGREDIENTS

12 ounces super-firm tofu (vacuum-packed; see Notes)

1 1/2 tablespoons neutral oil, such as canola or grapeseed oil

4 scallions, sliced on an angle (reserve dark green tops for garnish)

1 to 2 Thai bird’s eye chiles, thinly sliced (optional, depending on your appetite for heat)

3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce

1 tablespoon Chinkiang vinegar (Chinese black vinegar)

1 tablespoon gochugaru (Korean chile flakes)

1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

1 teaspoon sugar (any kind), maple syrup or agave

1 tablespoon toasted white or black sesame seeds

1/4 cup lightly packed fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems, chopped

DIRECTIONS

Wrap the tofu in a thin, clean dish towel and gently squeeze with your palms to remove some water without squishing it. Using the large holes of a box grater, grate the tofu. (If small pieces break off, slice them very thinly.)

In a large (12-inch) nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the scallions and chiles, if using, and cook, stirring frequently, until the scallions soften, about 2 minutes.

Add the grated tofu to the pan and toss to coat in the oil. Cook undisturbed for about 2 minutes, then stir. Continue cooking, stirring every 2 minutes or so, until the tofu is golden brown all over, 10 to 12 minutes. Add the garlic, stir to combine, and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

While the tofu is cooking, make the sauce. In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, vinegar, gochugaru, sesame oil and sugar until well combined.

When the tofu is ready, pour the sauce into the pan – it will bubble rapidly – and stir to evenly coat the tofu. Cook until very fragrant, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat, sprinkle with the sesame seeds, the reserved scallion tops and the cilantro, and serve hot.

Nutritional information per serving (3/4 cup): 219 calories, 15 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 9 g carbohydrates, 517 mg sodium, 0 mg cholesterol, 14 g protein, 2 g fiber, 3 g sugar.

This analysis is an estimate based on available ingredients and this preparation. It should not substitute for a dietitian’s or nutritionist’s advice.

Adapted from “Big Vegan Flavor” by Nisha Vora (Avery, 2024).