Southern Fried Tofu, Make Your Own Marshmallows, & Europe!

Sometimes you just crave fried food! Inspired by a poster on the PPK, I decided I needed some breaded & fried goodness. I had fresh tofu from Hodo Soy Beanery on hand, so I thought it would be the perfect recipient for this flavorful coating. I hate to admit it, but I was a fan of a certain fried fast food chain back in the day, mainly for the mashed potatoes, but regardless, this was far superior to anything I consumed from them!

Southern Fried Tofu
Ingredients:
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup panko
2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 ts. salt
1 tsp pepper
2 Tbsp dijon mustard (yellow is fine as well.)
3 Tbsp water
1 Tbsp baking powder
1 to 2 blocks of firm or extra firm tofu, preferably pressed, sliced in to strips.
Oil for frying (Canola or vegetable are ideal.)

Instructions:
In a large bowl, mix the flour, panko, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, & pepper.

In another bowl, whisk the mustard in to the water. Add 2 Tbsp of the dry mixture & stir.

Add the baking powder to the dry mixture & incorporate.

Use one hand to dip the strips of tofu in to the mustard mixture, then transfer them in to the dry mixture, using your other hand to coat & press in the seasoning. Ideally, you'll have a "wet hand" & a "dry hand".

Fry the coated tofu on medium high heat, turning repeatedly, until nicely browned & crispy.

Move them to a paper towel or other absorbent surface until done frying.

Serve & enjoy!

My Notes:
I used fresh tofu, so it didn't have to be pressed. If you have access to fresh tofu, I think it was really lovely with this, as it's lighter than packaged tofu, making this not feel heavy. I hate having tons of extra coating left over, so this should get you through 2 blocks of tofu easily with less waste than many other recipes. You could also use this on mock chicken or seitan, of course!

I always enjoy receiving mail & you can imagine my excitement when an envelope landed in my mailbox declaring, "Make Your Own Fresh Vegan Marshmallows!". Alice from Angel Food was kind enough to send me a marshmallow making kit & I was more than willing to try it out!

While the process isn't difficult, I found myself a bit daunted by the use of a stand mixer & two pots on the stove. Luckily, it was a breeze & I found myself moving right along without issue. The kit comes with two packets of powder & you supply water, sugar, syrup, vanilla, & starch for the outsides. The kit makes a whopping 50 marshmallows, so be prepared to share with loved ones!

Vegan marshmallow making has been something that's escaped many, myself included, but with this kit, I was finally able to make my own fluffy little sugar pillows! They were softer & sweeter than Sweet & Sara & I found I liked them best after a bit of refrigerator time to firm them up. I took them to an impromptu vegan picnic in Dolores Park last Sunday & they were quickly devoured along with the Hazelnut Cake Truffles I made. One thing I found out the hard way though, is these aren't for toasting over a flame, I'm still nursing blisters & burns on 4 fingers after my attempt awry.

If you want to try your hand at making marshmallows or don't have access to other vegan marshmallows out there, consider trying these out! The kit comes from New Zealand & with shipping to the US is well under $10. Check out Angel Food for details.

On Monday, Ryan & I are headed to Europe for 16 days!
London, Berlin, & Prague will be our destinations & I cannot wait to go on eating adventures & report back. Suggestions on food to try & things to see are always welcome & if you're in one of these places & want to meet up, get in touch! Until next time! xo.