Five-spice smoked tofu nuggets

Name: Five-spice smoked tofu nuggets
Yield: Makes 8 nuggets with satay dressing
Cuisine: British recipes
Ingredients: 225g box smoked tofu (we used Tofoo Co tofu from Ocado); 2 tbsp cornflour; ¼ tsp chinese five-spice powder; Large pinch smoked paprika; 300ml vegetable oil; For the satay dressing; 1 tsp light soft brown sugar; 2 tsp freshly squeezed lime juice; 4 tbsp peanut butter (smooth or chunky are both fine); 3 tbsp rice wine vinegar; 1 tbsp soy sauce; 1¼ tbsp vegetable, sunflower or rapeseed oil; 1¼ tbsp sriracha to taste; 2 tbsp toasted sesame oil

Published: 14 Aug 17
Updated: 18 Mar 24

Test kitchen approved

Elly Pear’s tofu ‘chicken’ nuggets are a quick, easy and full of flavour. Pop on the end of skewers and serve with the satay dressing for party food that both vegans and meat-lovers will enjoy.

Makes 8 nuggets with satay dressing
Hands-on time 20 min

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Ingredients

225g box smoked tofu (we used Tofoo Co tofu from Ocado)
2 tbsp cornflour
¼ tsp chinese five-spice powder
Large pinch smoked paprika
300ml vegetable oil

For the satay dressing

1 tsp light soft brown sugar
2 tsp freshly squeezed lime juice
4 tbsp peanut butter (smooth or chunky are both fine)
3 tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 tbsp soy sauce
1¼ tbsp vegetable, sunflower or rapeseed oil
1¼ tbsp sriracha to taste
2 tbsp toasted sesame oil

Method

For the satay dressing, dissolve the sugar in the lime juice in a small bowl, then put into a blender with all the remaining ingredients and blend until smooth. Taste and add a little more sugar/lime juice/soy/sriracha as you see fit.
Lay the block of tofu on a few sheets of kitchen paper. Fold another sheet of kitchen paper in half and use to gently press out the liquid. Cut into 8 equal-size cubes. Put the cornflour in a shallow bowl, add the five-spice powder and paprika, then mix well. Toss the tofu cubes in the spiced cornflour until they’re evenly dusted on all sides.
Pour the vegetable oil into a wok and put over a high heat. Once hot, shake off any excess cornflour from the tofu, then carefully lower each nugget into the hot oil using a slotted spoon or tongs. Deep-fry, turning regularly (and carefully), for 4-5 minutes until all sides are golden brown and crisp. Remove the tofu cubes from the pan using a slotted spoon or tongs, then drain on kitchen paper. Sprinkle the cubes with flaked sea salt while they’re still hot – this helps to keep them crisp. Thread the fried tofu cubes onto skewers and serve with the satay dressing for dipping. Serve with a salad of your choice.

Recipe from June 2017 Issue

Nutrition

Nutrition: per serving

Per satay nugget

Calories: 175kcals
Fat: 15g (1.7g saturated)
Protein: 4.6g
Carbohydrates: 5g (1.3g sugars)
Fibre: 1g
Salt: 0.3g

delicious. tips

The tofu you use is important. Go for one that comes as a big, solid, wet slab – usually sold in a cardboard box. Inside, you’ll find a block of tofu in a little liquid, sealed in plastic. The recipe needs the soft, wet tofu as this helps to create the steam that makes it puff up so wonderfully.
This recipe makes more satay dressing than you’ll need. Leftover dressing will keep in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

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Five-spice smoked tofu nuggets

Ingredients

Method

Nutrition

delicious. tips

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