FRIED TOFU NUGGETS WITH SESAME HONEY MUSTARD

Fried Tofu Nuggets with Sesame Honey Mustard image

Stir fried, sauteed, baked or straight from the package, tofu is a delicious versatile ingredient to have in your fridge when you need to put something on the dinner table quickly. In this recipe for fried tofu nuggets, I like to grate the tofu and squeeze out the liquid then replace that liquid with full-flavored ingredients including soy sauce and freshly grated onion. Served alongside a simple tangy-sweet sesame honey mustard, these nuggets are an excellent addition to your collection of tofu recipes.

Provided by Food Network

Time 40m

Yield 20 nuggets and about 1/2 cup sauce

Number Of Ingredients 13

Ingredients

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons honey
1/4 cup yellow mustard
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
1/4 cup grated yellow onion (about 1 small onion)
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1 large egg
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
One 14- to 16-ounce package firm tofu, drained
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
Vegetable oil, for frying

Steps:

Make the sesame honey mustard: In a small bowl, whisk together the honey, mustard, vinegar and sesame oil. Set aside or refrigerate the sauce in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
Make the fried tofu nuggets: In a medium bowl, whisk together the onion, scallions, egg, soy sauce, salt and pepper. Set aside.
Grate the tofu on the large holes of a box grater onto a baking sheet or large flat plate. Evenly spread out the grated tofu and top with 2 layers of paper towels. Use your hands to firmly press the paper towels into the tofu until they're completed soaked with liquid. Repeat the pressing with another 2 layers of paper towels until the tofu is dry and looks like shredded chicken. Add the pressed tofu to the medium bowl and gently fold to combine. Sprinkle in the flour and gently fold it in.
In a 10- to 12-inch high-sided skillet, heat 1/2 inch of the oil to 350 degrees F. Line another baking sheet with paper towels and set aside.
While the oil heats, use a 2-tablespoon ice cream scoop to portion out 20 tofu nuggets onto the first baking sheet. Using an offset spatula, slightly flatten each portion into the shape of a 1/2-inch-thick nugget.
Carefully add a few tofu nuggets to the hot oil. Don't overcrowd the skillet or the oil temperature will drop too much (it shouldn't drop below 300 degrees F). Fry the nuggets, flipping halfway through, until the nuggets are golden brown on both sides, about 3 minutes 30 seconds. Remove to the lined baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining nuggets, heating the oil back to 350 degrees F between each batch. Serve immediately with the sesame honey mustard.