Air Fryer Spicy Tofu Stir-Fry, with Instant Pot Rice

Tofu has never been a food I’ve been interested in, despite what people have said about how great it was.

To me, it tasted like a chewy sponge that’s been soaked in whatever flavor it was marinated in.

Amazingly however, all that changed with our air fryer!!

There are definitely some conditions that must be met for me to enjoy tofu, including:

1. It has to be organic, extra-firm tofu

2. I remove as much water as possible from it before marinating

3. I overcook it (in the air fryer) so that it no longer has a spongy texture

I’ve added tofu to our mealtime menu because it’s a healthy plant-based protein source. There’s no saturated fat in it. I can make it taste like whatever I want, and my air fryer finally gave it a texture I could enjoy.

Ingredients:

1 package organic extra-firm tofu
1 TBSP hot chili paste (I used Gochujang, which is a Korean fermented chili paste that’s savory, sweet, and spicy)
2 TBSP raw honey
2 TBSP rice vinegar
1/2 cup water

2 tsp olive oil
1 small sweet onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 TBSP grated ginger
1 carrot, chopped
1 cup of broccoli florets, rinsed and chopped
1 yellow bell pepper, chopped

1 cup brown rice, rinsed well
2 cups water

Directions:

Tofu

1. Open the tofu and drain the water. Put several paper towels on a plate under the tofu and on top of the tofu and then set something heavy (like a cast iron pan) on top of the tofu.

   This step is very important. If you don’t drain the water out of the tofu, there is no space for the marinade to absorb into it. The directions say do this for 15 minutes. I do it for several hours until there is NO more water to remove.

2. Combine 1/2 cup water, chili paste, honey and rice vinegar into a bowl and whisk until combined well.

3. Cut the dry tofu into 1” cubes. This part is actually fun!

4. Place the tofu cubes into a storage container so that they are in a single layer.

5. Add the marinade, cover and refrigerate for at least an hour.

6. Preheat the air fryer for 5 minutes at 400 degrees.

7. Drain the marinade into a colander over a bowl. You will use this later.

8. Cook the tofu in the air fryer for 15 minutes at 400 degrees, shaking halfway through.

Instant Pot Brown Rice

1. Add the rice and water to the instant pot.

2. Close the pressure release knob.

3. Cook on high pressure cook for 30 minutes.

Vegetables

1. In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the onions and ginger and reduce heat to medium, stirring frequently for approximately 2 minutes.

2. Add the garlic, carrot, broccoli, pepper and remaining marinade and continue to sauté until the vegetables are to desired tenderness, approximately 5 minutes.

When everything is done, I like to add the tofu and approximately half the rice to the pan with the vegetables so that all the ingredients can meld together in the marinade.

Like any stir fry, feel free to use whatever vegetables you want. You can also substitute cauliflower rice for brown rice or not use rice at all.