The Game-Changing Tofu Freezing Hack You Need To Start Using
Whether you are a fan of the occasional meat-free meal or completely vegan in your eating habits, this freezer-tofu hack will serve you well. You may be wondering what the purpose of using your freezer for this protein is. According to Bon Appétit, the ultra-cold temperature of the freezer changes the texture and consistency of the soybean product making it firmer and more resilient. In this state, it is better suited as an ingredient in stir-fries, stews, and soups. The firmer texture also makes it more rewarding to chew.
Another benefit of frozen tofu is that it becomes more absorbent post-freeze. The latter happens because the product's water molecules freeze (and when moisture freezes, it expands), thus creating little ice crystals in it. When the tofu comes out of the freezer, the ice melts, and the water dissipates, leaving cavities within it and giving it a sponge-like character. As such, cooking with this tofu hack will result in it adopting the flavor of the stews and sauces they are seeped in, per Food52.
A game-changing hack
Angiela from Angiela Eats on TikTok has a crispy tofu video with four million views. Said video starts with Angiela munching through audibly crispy pieces of tofu, and if ever a food sounded delicious, it is this. Her hack is simple. In the words of one of the commenters on her thread, the process is: "freeze, defrost, squeeze out water."
She advises that after the tofu is sufficiently frozen, it should be left in the refrigerator to thaw overnight. The next step is probably the most crucial. She stresses that as much water as possible comes out of the tofu, and she uses kitchen towels to accomplish this. Next, Angiela cuts the block through the width of the slab, lays the halves flat, parts them into eight long strips, and halves these strips crosswise so that she ends up with sixteen pieces.
Next, she sprinkles soy sauce and sesame oil over the tofu strips, and the video shows the protein absorbing the moisture quickly. She then adds them to the air fryer for 20 minutes at the temperature of 400 degrees Fahrenheit and tosses them once when halfway. The result is, as she says, "super crispy tofu that can then be hit with some sea salt, black pepper, and a bit of sweet chili — though I imagine Sriracha would work really well."