Spicy Tofu Tacos

Time Required: 15-20 minutes Serves: 4

Ingredients:

8-12 small corn tortillas
1 package tofu (12 oz)
1 can black beans (drained and rinsed)
1 can corn (drained and rinsed)
1 avocado cubed
1-2 bell peppers diced (I used red but any color will do)
3 jalapenos diced
1/3 cup Greek yogurt (or sour cream)
2-3 tsp taco seasoning
3-4 Tbsp cornstarch
1-2 Tbsp milk or water (optional)
lime juice
salt (to taste)

Directions (Read this recipe all the way through first! It will save you time.):

Cut Tofu: Cut tofu into cubes. I normally cut my tofu into 1/2″-3/4″ cubes, but it is entirely up to you. You can cut them into any size or shape you like. Simply adjust cooking times accordingly (smaller = less time, larger = more time).

Press Tofu: Next you will want to remove some of the moisture from the tofu. Place a few paper towels under your cubed tofu and on top of your tofu. Then “press” it which is basically fancy talk for putting something heavy on top of it like a cutting board with a couple of canned goods stacked on top or a cast iron pan. Tofu is like a sponge. Putting weight on it will help remove some of the moisture. Many people say you need to press tofu for at least an hour. I personally never have that much time. So, I usually cut up my tofu first so it can press for a couple minutes while I prep other ingredients. It works out just fine for me. I also purchase extra-firm tofu (this is one of the more common options available at most grocery stores) which has less moisture to begin with. So, it saves time!

Fresh Toppings: Combine beans, corn, bell peppers, jalapenos, avocado, salt (to taste) and lime juice (to taste but I normally start with 1 Tbsp and go from there). Feel free to add or exclude any ingredients as you wish! Cabbage, cilantro, tomatoes and different types of beans are a few examples of possible additions. The ribbing (thin white sections on the inside of jalapeno) and the seeds of jalapeno pack some serious heat for all my spicy peeps out there. If you aren’t really into spice, simply remove and discard the ribbing and the seeds.

Time Saving Tip: When I made these tacos, I was in a hurry and didn’t want to spend 3 or 4 minutes cutting up the peppers and jalapenos. So, I just popped them in my mini food processor, pushed the pulse button 4 or 5 times, and voila! I had chopped peppers and jalapenos in 5 seconds. A lot of people shy away from using appliances because they don’t want to clean them (I TOTALLY get that) but my little food processor takes all of 20 seconds to wash out. It is awesome.

Sauce: Combine the taco seasoning, Greek yogurt and a tiny squeeze of lime. About 1.5 tsp should do the trick but I encourage you to follow your taste buds not the measuring cup. Taste it and see what you think. If one ingredient is way too strong, add more of the other ingredients to balance it out. How is the texture? Too thick? Add milk or water 1 Tbsp (or less) at a time until it reaches a nice saucy consistency.
Heat Pan: Put a pan over medium to medium/high heat. Generously coat the bottom of the pan with oil. I used coconut oil but feel free to use what you like or have on hand.

Coat Tofu: Give your tofu one last good pat down with a couple of paper towels. Then coat the tofu with the cornstarch. Here’s an awesome little trick. Put your cubed tofu in a zip lock baggie with the cornstarch and give that ziplock bag a good shake (make sure you seal that bad boy unless you want your kitchen to look like in snowed cornstarch). This coats tofu perfectly in about 7 seconds. Don’t have a ziplock baggie? No problem. Just toss the tofu with cornstarch in a bowl.

Crisp Tofu: IMMEDIATELY after the tofu is coated, drop the tofu in the pan preheated pan. You should hear a sizzle right away. If you don’t hear a sizzle and only hear silence and crickets, your tofu won’t crisp up. Test out your pan with one piece of tofu to make sure it sizzles… just to play it safe. Flip the tofu with a spatula every minute or so to make sure all sides of the tofu crisp up. This shouldn’t take long. I’d say 4-5 minutes. Not sure if the tofu is done? Test it out (careful, it’s hot)! If it is nice and crispy, remove the tofu from the pan and you’re done! If it isn’t as crispy as you’d like, let the tofu cook for a little longer. Simple as that!

Assemble: Once the tofu is done cooking, it is time to assemble and then TIME TO EAT! This is pretty darn easy. Put some crispy tofu on your tortillas with a heap of the fresh toppings and a drizzle of sauce. Now you’re ready to dive into the zesty bundles of goodness. Enjoy!

From zestedlemon.com