Tofu Fries w. Thai Seasoning

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Are tofu fries healthier than potato fries? Its definitely debatable since both are fried in oil! However, these tofu fries are a great source of protein and the thai seasoning is so flavorful. You can also double the thai seasoining ingredients and use it for other foods like fried chicken wings or potato fries! Seriously, don’t skip out on the thai seasoning!!

Ingredients you need for your tofu fries:

Marinade:

• extra firm tofu
• garlic powder
• soy sauce (or fish sauce, tastes better but is not vegetarian)
• white pepper

Fry Tofu:

• flour
• beaten
• panko bread crumbs
• oil

Thai Seasoning:

• thai sticky rice (sweet rice)
• lemongrass
• markut lime leaves
• thai bird chili (2 for medium spice level)
• salt
• sugar
• garlic powder

Garnish:

• cilantro
• freshly squeezed lime juice
• dip: kewpie mayo with thai seasoning

Steps to make the tofu fries:

1. To make the tofu, cut into 1/2 inch long strips (resembling a french fry). Place in a plate and add soy sauce, white pepper and garlic pepper to marinade. Marinate for 20-30 minutes.
2. While the tofu is marinating, make the thai seasoning by chopping up the lemongrass. Smash the lemongrass to release flavor and use the insides (soft part) of the lemongrass.
3. In a pan on low-medium heat, add thai sticky rice, lemongrass, markut lime leaves, and thai bird chili. Toast for 18-20 minutes until rice is golden. Stir frequently.
4. In a blender, add the toasted ingredients (in step 2), salt, sugar, and garlic powder. Blend until smooth. There will be some stringy lemongrass. You can use a strainer to sift the large pieces. Set seasoning aside.
5. Once the tofu is marinated for 20-30 minutes, its time to deep fry. Beat 1 egg and place in a bowl. Add panko and flour on a plate. Dip the tofu in flour, egg and panko. Repeat until all pieces have been coated. Let the tofu rest.
6. In a pan, heat up 1 cup of oil on medium-high heat. Once oil is hot, gently add tofu to the pan to fry! Fry until all sides are golden, which takes a total of 10 minutes.
7. When the tofu is done frying, place them in a bowl. Immediately add generous amounts of thai seasoning on the tofu fries until its well coated.
8. To serve, add lime juice. You can make a delicious dip by mixing kewpie mayo with the thai seasoning. Hope you enjoy!