Air Fryer Recipe
Crispy Sriracha Tofu Bites
Good crispy tofu has a dry, craggy outside and a soft, almost custardy centre. An air fryer is perfect for this dish as it quickly removes moisture, allowing the cornflour coating to set into a brittle shell without deep-frying.
Ingredients
- 450g extra-firm tofu, drained
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 35g cornflour
- 20g panko breadcrumbs
- 1 tsp garlic granules
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp fine sea salt
- 1½ tbsp neutral oil
- 2 tbsp sriracha
- 1 tbsp runny honey or maple syrup
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tsp lime juice
- 1 spring onion, finely sliced
- 1 tsp sesame seeds
Method
- Drain the tofu and cut it into roughly 2.5cm cubes. Lay the cubes on a clean tea towel, cover with another towel, and press gently for 10–15 minutes with a chopping board and a couple of tins on top.
- Heat the air fryer to 200°C for 3 minutes.
- Put the tofu in a bowl and toss very gently with the soy sauce and sesame oil.
- In a separate bowl, mix the cornflour, panko, garlic granules, smoked paprika and salt. Scatter this over the tofu in two additions, turning the cubes until they look dusty and uneven rather than wet.
- Drizzle over the neutral oil and turn again until you can see tiny damp patches in the coating.
- Arrange the tofu in the air-fryer basket in a single layer, leaving small gaps between pieces. Cook at 200°C for 10 minutes, then turn the pieces with tongs and cook for another 5–7 minutes, until the edges are firm, pale golden and audibly crisp when tapped.
- While the tofu cooks, stir together the sriracha, honey or maple syrup, rice vinegar and lime juice in a bowl large enough to toss the tofu.
- Tip the crisp tofu into the sauce and toss quickly for 10–15 seconds only, just enough to coat. Return it to the basket and cook at 190°C for 2–3 minutes.
- Serve immediately with sliced spring onion and sesame seeds.
Nutrition
Calories: 250
