Tofish tacos – Lazy Cat Kitchen

I generally avoid frying things, because fried foods don’t always agree with me but I do break that rule occasionally – I am only human and like most humans I find fried things to taste delicious. I broke my no frying rule recently on quite a few occasions when perfecting this recipe for tofish tacos and I have no regrets. These tofish tacos turned out great and we devoured every iteration with great pleasure.

To make plain tofu reminiscent of fish, I marinated it in a simple kombu stock first, then rolled it in crushed nori for more sea flavour and that combination worked rather well, I then coated this marinated tofu in a simple beer batter and fried it till puffy and golden on all sides. I made a simple cabbage slaw and a chipotle flavoured mayo to go with the tofish and I lightly charred my corn tortillas for extra flavour. These tofish tacos went down really well in my house and I hope you will enjoy them just as much.

MORE ABOUT THE INGREDIENTS

TOFU: I used well pressed firm tofu for this recipe. I used a brand of an already pressed tofu called Tofoo as it’s more straightforward to use. You can press your own tofu using a special tofu press or wrapping it in layers of a clean kitchen towel and weighing it down with something heavy.

SEAWEED: I used two different types of seaweed: kombu and nori to infuse the tofish with the flavour of the ocean. I used a piece of kombu to create a simple broth to infuse the tofu and then I used toasted seaweed (the type that is used for wrapping sushi) to roll the tofu in it before frying. Both are easy to get in Asian stores or well stocked supermarkets.

FLOUR: I used a mixture of plain flour and cornstarch (commonly known as corn flour in the UK) to make the batter. If making this dish gluten-free, substitute plain flour with a good gluten-free flour mix. Cornstarch is gluten-free as no need to change anything.

BEER: A carbonated liquid helps the batter stay light and crispy. I used pale ale beer, but if you want to avoid alcohol sparkling water is a great alternative.

SPICES: A couple of spices add flavour to the batter, I used paprika, cumin and garlic powder but you add also try ground fennel, coriander and cayenne pepper for bit of heat.

TORTILLAS: I like to use corn tortillas for tacos and singe them just a little bit over my gas burner just before serving.

CABBAGE: I made a simple cabbage slaw – with the addition of some radishes, spring onions / scallions and coriander – to accompany the tofish. I used young white cabbage, but any cabbage shredded thinly will work just as well.

RADISH: I like peppery flavour and firm texture of radishes, as well as their vibrant pink colour. I added some directly to the slaw and also quick-pickled some in diluted lime juice and used that quick pickle to serve the tacos with.

MAYO: I used shop-bought vegan mayo to dress the slaw and to create a simple chipotle sauce.

CHIPOTLE: I used chipotle paste to flavour the mayo and give it a bit of a spicy kick. The potency tends to differ between brands so add it, in small increments, until your taste buds are happy with the level of heat.

LIME: I used lime, both the zest and juice, to flavour the slaw and the mayo. I suppose lemon could do at a push, but lime works better in this cotext.

HOW TO MAKE IT?

1) MAKE THE SLAW

Shred cabbage really finely, thinly cut radishes, spring onions and coriander and bring it all together with a simple mayo dressing. Season well and set aside. Season the rest of the mayo and spicy it up a little by adding some chipotle paste to it and a squeeze of lime. Adjust to your taste.

2) MARINATE TOFU IN KOMBU

Prepare a quick broth by simmering a piece of kombu in some salted water. Submerge tofu in that solution, simmer for 5 minutes than leave for as long as you can to infuse it with flavour.

3) COAT TOFU

Next coat tofu pieces in ground up nori, then in some flour and finally in beer batter (not in photos).

4) FRY & SERVE

Pour oil into a work or a tall pot. Bring it to temperature – to check of the oil is at the correct temperature drop a little but of batter into it, if it sizzles as soon as it hits the oil, the oil is ready. Add only 2-3 pieces of tofish at a time – you do not want to overcrowd the pan – fry until golden on all sides then remove from the oil and allow it to drain on some paper towels. Fill each tacos with some slaw and a piece of tofish. Serve with a drizzle of chipotle mayo, quick-pickled radishes and fresh coriander.