Thursday, April 1, 2010

Crispy Coconut Tofu Nuggets

I can't say that the phrase "tofu nugget" sounds particularly attractive, even for someone who is an adventurous eater. I knew they would be tasty, but, to Joe's credit, when I told him what we were having for dinner, he didn't even blink an eye. It helped that I explained that they were "like coconut shrimp" but with tofu. I had been wracking my brain to figure out what I would serve the nuggets with while we were traveling to Houston for a wedding. When we arrived at home, my mother had dropped off a sauce/marinade that my father had brought me: Mango Ginger Habanero Sauce. Yes, it was as good as it sounds, particularly with the nuggets. I served it with some steamed Asian vegetables as well.

Crispy Coconut Tofu Nuggets
source: Cara's Cravings

Ingredients
1 block firm tofu
2 egg whites
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
1/4 cup shredded coconut
zest from one lime

Preparation
Wrap the tofu in paper towels and place it under a plate, weighted down with a couple cans or jars. Let sit for 20-30 minutes.

Preheat oven 375F. Set a cooking rack on top of a baking sheet, and spray with nonstick cooking spray.

Pour the egg substitute or egg whites in a shallow dish. Mix together the panko, coconut, and lime zest and pour onto a plate.

Slice the tofu crosswise into 6 slabs, and then cut each rectangle diagonally into two triangles. (I sliced mine into rectangles.) Season the tofu wedges with salt and pepper. Dip each one into the egg, then dredge in the panko mixture and set on the cooling rack.

Bake for about 25-30 minutes, turning halfway through, until lightly browned and crispy on both sides.

Nutritional Info
Servings Per Recipe: 3
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 209.9
Total Fat: 8.7 g
Cholesterol: 0.0 mg
Sodium: 16.7 mg
Total Carbs: 14.0 g
Dietary Fiber: 2.3 g
Protein: 14.3 g