Cornmeal Crusted Tofu with Grilled Green Tomatoes & Hot Tahini
This dinner is my love letter to fried green tomatoes. But this time it's the tofu that is battered and fried, and the tomatoes lend themselves to a smokey char that perfectly pairs with the crispy cornmeal tofu. Add a hot tahini sauce and it's a perfect, comforting dinner.
Equipment
- 1 rice cooker
- 1 grill pan or grill
- 1 cast iron skillet
- 1 chef's knife
Ingredients
- 1 & 1/2 cups short grain white rice uncooked
For the cornmeal crusted tofu
- 1 15 ounce block of extra firm tofu
- 2 tbsp flax meal
- 6 tbsp water
- 1/3 cup breadcrumbs
- 1/3 cup yellow cornmeal
- 1/2 tsp each of kosher salt, cumin, smoked paprika and chili powder, black pepper
- 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
- sunflower oil as needed
For the grilled green tomatoes
- sunflower oil as needed
- 3 medium green tomatoes
- 3 stalks scallions
- 1/2 lemon for juicing
- kosher salt to taste
For the hot tahini
- 1/4 cup tahini
- 2 tbsp Frank's red hot or your preferred hot sauce
- 1/2 lemon for juicing
- kosher salt to taste
Instructions
- First cook the rice in a rice cooker according to package instructions. Set this aside.
- Next, prep the tofu. Cut the tofu into equal squares or triangles, each of the same size and height. Spread these evenly on a sheet of paper towels, cover with more paper towels and weigh them down with a baking sheet (you can add books or a heavy object on top to weigh it down) to get out any excess moisture.
- While the tofu is pressing, get out three shallow bowls. In one bowl whisk together the flax and water to make a flax egg, in the second bowl mix together the cornmeal, breadcrumbs, spices, salt and pepper. If you need this breadcrumb mixture to be a bit finer, feel free to toss it in a blender for a few seconds. In the last bowl add the flour.
- Using one hand for wet and one for dry, dip the tofu pieces first in the flour to lightly coat, then in the flax egg, and then in the cornmeal breadcrumbs. Set all the prepared pieces aside.
- Fill a cast iron with 1" of sunflower oil and let the oil get to 350°F. Shallow fry the tofu in batches, about 2 minutes on each side or until they are golden and crispy. Let them drain on paper towels and set aside.
- Lastly, make the grilled green tomatoes. Cut the tomatoes into quarters or eighths. Lightly oil a grill pan and "grill" then on each side for about 2-3 minutes or until you see char marks.
- Thinly slice the scallions and add them to a bowl. Squeeze in the lemon juice, and then pour in the grilled green tomatoes. Toss to coat and season with salt as needed.
- Make the hot tahini by whisking together all the sauce ingredients, add hot sauce and salt as needed.
- By now the rice should be done, so plate with rice first, then tomatoes, then the tofu and a drizzle of hot tahini. Serve warm!