Tofu "Fish" Tacos with Spicy Slaw and Vegan Chipotle Mayo
Mexican food is my jam. We eat it at least once a week, and it never gets old. To keep it exciting though, we are always looking for new ways to spice up our tacos, nachos, and enchiladas. Some of our favorites are potato tacos, nachos made with raw walnut meat, and sweet potato enchiladas. But now these Tofu "Fish" Tacos have become our new obsession!
The tofu is battered and fried until perfectly crispy on the outside, but tender on the inside. The slaw stays crunchy and has just the perfect bite. And the chipotle mayo I could just drizzle on everything.
In the not too distant past, we could not make tofu happen. We kept trying, but we just couldn't get past the spongy texture and lack of flavor. But then we tried tofu nuggets, and realized that fried tofu was a game changer. It was while eating fried tofu nuggets dipped in vegan honey mustard one day that Richard asked "what if we used tofu to make fish tacos?" Its times like this that remind me why I love this man.
Tofu "Fish" Tacos with Spicy Slaw and Vegan Chipotle Mayo
1 12 oz package of extra firm tofu, pressed for at least 10 minutes
2 cups shredded cabbage or cole slaw mix
1/3 cup canola oil (or any neutral flavored oil)
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1/2 tablespoon sweetener (sugar, ample syrup, agave, etc.)
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 cup vegan mayo, like Just Mayo or Veganaise
1 chipotle pepper in adobo, minced
1-2 tsp of the sauce from canned chipotle pepper in adobo
small corn or flour tortillas
Add shredded cabbage or cole slaw mix and diced jalapeno to a large bowl.
In a small bowl, combine the oil, vinegar, sweetener, lime juice, cayenne pepper and salt and pepper.
Pour dressing over slaw and toss well to combine. Taste and add extra seasonings as needed.
Refrigerate until ready to use. Also great as a side dish!
Combine all ingredients in a small bowl.
Taste and adjust flavors as needed. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Slice your pressed block of tofu into strips, about 1"x1/2". Salt the pieces on both sides.
Heat your oil in a heavy bottomed pan over med high heat. Make sure you have enough to cover your tofu pieces.
Mix the flour, cornmeal, cumin, garlic, chili powder, onion powder, paprika and salt together in a shallow dish big enough to dredge your tofu pieces in.
Add the soda water to the flour mix and stir well to make sure no clumps remain.
Once your oil is heated (test by dropping a small dollop of batter into the oil. It should bubble immediately when it's hot enough), carefully batter your tofu pieces and add to the oil a few at a time. Cook until golden brown on all sides, flipping when necessary.
Remove to a paper towel lined plate, and continue until all the pieces are fried.
Heat small corn of flour tortillas in the microwave for a few seconds between damp paper towels. Fish tacos are typically served on corn tortillas, but we actually prefer the super soft flour ones. Add 1-2 tofu strips to the the tortilla, the top with a scoop of spicy slaw and spoon on some chipotle mayo. Add sliced avocado and chopped cilantro if you like, and enjoy! These are really so good, my kids keep asking for them!
