Tofoo Katsu
A vegan twist on the Japanese classic, this plant-based katsu from The Tofoo Cookbook combines crispy, breaded tofu with a mildly spiced curry sauce.
Introduction
This fragrant Japanese-style curry sauce is a perfect partner for the crispy Tofoo. You can make the sauce ahead and even freeze it for a quick midweek meal.
Ingredients
| 2 x 280g | packs Naked Tofoo, drained, dried and each block sliced into 6 pieces |
| 75g | plain flour |
| the drained water from 1 x 400g can chickpeas | |
| 200g | panko breadcrumbs |
| 2-4 tbsp | vegetable oil |
| basmati rice, to serve | |
| For the katsu sauce: | |
|---|---|
| 2 tbsp | vegetable oil |
| 2 | onions, finely chopped |
| 2 | carrots, peeled and diced |
| 2 | garlic cloves, crushed |
| 4cm | piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated |
| 2 tsp | ground turmeric |
| 4 heaped tbsp | mild curry powder |
| 2 tbsp | plain flour |
| 600ml | vegetable stock |
| 200ml | coconut milk |
| 2 tsp | light soy sauce |
| 2 tsp | caster sugar, to taste |
Method
For the katsu sauce, heat the oil in a large pan. Add the onions and cook for 4-5 minutes or until just beginning to soften. Add the carrots, garlic and ginger, and reduce the heat to low to avoid the garlic burning. Cook for 4-5 minutes until all the vegetables are soft.
Add the turmeric and curry powder and cook over a low-medium heat until fragrant.
Add the flour to the pan, stir and cook for 2 minutes. Slowly add the stock, little by little, stirring as you go until you get a smooth sauce. Stir in the coconut milk. Add the soy sauce and sugar to taste. Simmer for 5 minutes. Leave to cool slightly and strain through a sieve to make it super smooth. You can also blitz the sauce with a blender for a really smooth texture. Set aside.
Dry each slice of Tofoo very well with kitchen paper. Set out three shallow bowls. Add the flour to one. Pour the water from the tin of chickpeas into the next. Whisk the chickpea water until it is white and fluffy. Finally, add the panko breadcrumbs to the third.
Dip the Tofoo in the flour, then the chickpea water froth, then the panko breadcrumbs.
Pour the remaining vegetable oil into a deep frying pan over a medium heat. Once hot, add the Tofoo in batches. Cook for about 3-4 minutes until golden brown on one side. Turn over and cook for a further 3-4 minutes or until golden brown.
Serve the Tofoo alongside steaming rice with a generous covering of the hot katsu sauce. Tuck in!
Why not try:
Using soy sauce instead of chickpea water.
Serving with a sharp vegetable pickle such as pickled onion or radish.
