Cooking Instructions
1.
Place block of tofu in a colander. Place the package on top of it and weigh it down with a can of tomatoes or some other relatively heavy canned good. Drain the
Extra Firm Tofu (1 lb)
for as much time as possible, 20 minutes to an 1 hour.
2.
Meanwhile make the nuoc cham: In a medium bowl, whisk together the
Granulated Sugar (1/4 cup)
,
Fish Sauce (1/3 cup)
, and
Lime Juice (1/3 cup)
until the sugar is completely dissolved.
3.
Add the
Garlic (2 cloves)
and
Thai Chili Peppers (2)
. Let stand for 30 minutes while you prepare the tofu. Taste and adjust flavors if necessary. Store in the refrigerator for at least a week.
4.
In a small shallow vessel with sides, beat the
Egg (1)
with 1 tsp Water. In another small shallow vessel with sides, stir together the
Kosher Salt (1/4 tsp)
,
Panko Breadcrumbs (3 Tbsp)
,
White Sesame Seeds (2 Tbsp)
, and
Black Sesame Seeds (1 Tbsp)
.
5.
Carefully cut the drained tofu into three slices. Working with one piece at a time, submerge the tofu into the egg, then coat it in the sesame-panko mix, then place it on a clean plate. Repeat with the remaining two slices.
6.
Heat a large nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat. When it’s hot, add
Canola Oil (to taste)
. Carefully lay each piece of tofu into the frying pan. Turn the heat down to medium if the slices appear to be browning too quickly. Crisp tofu slices for about 3-4 minutes a side, then transfer to a serving platter.
7.
Cut each slice in half and then arrange them on a platter. Garnish with
Scallions (to taste)
. Serve with nuoc cham and
Sriracha (to taste)
if you wish.