You've Probably Been Marinating Tofu Wrong
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Tofu is a polarizing food. It gets a lot of love, not just from vegans looking for a meat or egg substitute, but anyone who already knows it's a versatile ingredient for many dishes. Or, it's denounced for its seemingly rubbery texture and bland taste. The criticisms hurled at this curdled soy milk plant protein are quickly checked by fans pointing out that it probably wasn't cooked right. And while that is often the case, another common reason is that the tofu hasn't been marinated correctly.
Tofu cooked properly can become a treasure trove of contrasting textures, and some that have been well marinated can hold deep flavor. To make room for it to soak up the marinade, you must drain the excess moisture that tofu comes packaged with. Squeezing between paper towels is the oldest trick in the book. But giving these soya curds some heat in the air fryer or oven can work even better.
Cooking an ingredient before marination may not sound like the most logical method. But anyone who's poured hot water over tofu to get the moisture out (another effective trick!) will know that when it comes to making delicious tofu, you sometimes have to think outside the box. Note that unless otherwise stated, this article refers to firm or "cotton" tofu and not silken tofu, the latter being too high in water content to marinate and usually too delicate to air fry.
Air fry tofu before marinating it
Raw tofu is full of moisture, which isn't surprising considering it generally comes packaged in brine. In this state, it also has low porosity, which means it won't absorb much marinade. However, subjecting tofu to some heat helps evaporate much of the excess moisture and makes it more porous, setting you up for successful marination. There are a couple of ways to do this — pouring boiling salt water over it, lightly baking it in the oven, pan frying, or air frying. The last is the easiest and most convenient, so if you have an air fryer, that's where you should be putting your tofu once you've patted it dry and sliced it into the shape your recipe calls for.
This pre-marinade air fryer method also lets you play around with the texture of the plant protein. For crispy tofu, cut a firm block of it into thin strips and air fry on high for about 5 minutes before marinating. You can then give it a dusting of cornstarch and put it back in the fryer for another 10 minutes. For tender or chewy bits, cut your tofu into cubes and skip the second round of air frying. Another trick to make the marination even more effective (or if you're short on time) is to heat the marinade before adding in the par-cooked tofu.
More tofu flavoring tricks
If air frying isn't an option, put it in the oven for a few minutes or give it a light sear in the pan before marinating. If your final dish requires soft pieces, you're better off giving the tofu a dip in boiling salted water first, which helps draw out moisture. Remember that if you're pressing before marinating, don't overdo it, as it may ruin the texture and make the tofu rubbery.
Time is always a key factor, and the longer you leave tofu to marinate, the more flavor it absorbs. Leave it marinating overnight, or, if you're really motivated, you can even sous vide it. Smaller pieces increase the surface area that's in contact with the marinade but if you'd rather work with a large slap, consider scoring criss-cross cuts, so the flavors seep in better.
However, if you want to rustle something up quickly, the aforementioned hot marinade trick can be taken one step further. Say hello to glazing — a tofu-flavoring method championed by chef and author of the book "This Can't Be Tofu!" Deborah Madison. This involves pan-frying tofu and then adding in the sauce, which gets absorbed and also thickens to make a flavorsome coating. Another benefit of this method is that since tofu takes a long time to cook, it gets that extra time in the pan without the other flavoring ingredients, which are easy to burn when cooked together.