Tofu Popcorn

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What is Tofu Popcorn?

Are you bored of eating tofu in your stir-fries, curries, barbecue and sandwiches? Well guess what, my tofu popcorn is a great alternative to all you tofu lovers out there. My tofu popcorn is nothing but an irresistibly crispy, crunchy and delicious snack that’s so quick and easy to make. The tofu is marinated in warm spices and coated with breadcrumbs before they are fried or baked. This makes them so soft and flavoursome on the inside while being crispy and crunchy on the outside. My marination gives the tofu a punch of flavours that will force you to binge on the entire plate.

Served alongside some sriracha mayonnaise, these vegan tofu popcorn are the perfect movie night snack. It’s a great snack for high teas and dinner parties too. They’re such a delightful snack that adults and kids can enjoy together.

Can I use paneer instead of tofu?

Absolutely! If you don’t like the taste or texture of tofu, you can recreate this dish using paneer instead. You can also make this recipe using mushrooms, jackfruit, cauliflower, seitan and even tempeh!

Can I bake or air fry the popcorn instead of deep frying them?

Ideally, you would want to deep fry them so they’re crispy and flavourful. However, if you’re trying to be healthy, you can either bake them in the oven or air fry them.

OVEN BAKE: Bake them at 190 degrees celsius (fan-oven) for 25 to 30 minutes or until they are golden brown on a lined baking tray. Do make sure to spray some oil over the popcorn before baking them in the oven. Flip them halfway through to ensure even browning.

AIR FRYER: You should be able to air fry the tofu popcorn at 190 degrees celsius for approximately 15 minutes or until they are golden and crispy. Make sure to flip them half way through.

Is it important to soak the tofu in salted water?

I have tried making this recipe without soaking the tofu in salted water, however it doesn’t give the same overall flavours. Hence, I would recommend you to soak the tofu in a bowl of salted water, even if it’s for a short while. The salted water helps to make the tofu more flavourful.

How big should I cut my tofu pieces?

Ideally, you want to cut them into bite-sized cubes of approximately 3 cm. However, you can cut them as small or big as you like. Alternatively, you can also tear your tofu instead of cutting them to make them look like vegan chicken nuggets.

My batter is not thick enough, what should I do?

If your batter is too thin and is not sticking onto your tofu, add more cornflour or regular all-purpose flour. That should make the batter more thick! Remember not to add any more water to the mixture after this point.

My batter is too thick, what should I do?

If your batter is too thick, add a splash of water to loosen it. Make sure your batter is of the right consistency before dipping your tofu pieces.

How should I serve the tofu popcorn?

The popcorn needs to be served warm, immediately topped with some dried parsley and oregano. Serve the tofu popcorn with some sriracha mayonnaise or regular mayonnaise on the side. Alternatively, you can serve it with some mustard, hot sauce or tomato ketchup if you like.

Can I cook the tofu popcorn in advance and store it?

You can prepare the tofu popcorn in advance and freeze it for a few weeks. Whenever you’re ready to cook them, ensure you bring them back to room temperature before frying or baking them. Once they are cooked, ensure you eat them within the same day!

Any substitute for the ingredients mentioned?

You can use regular mayonnaise instead of sriracha mayonnaise for the tofu marinade.
If you've run out of breadcrumbs, you can substitute it with cornflakes or crisps. However, the colour of the popcorn might be slightly different when using these substitutes.
If you don’t have access to nutritional yeast, you can skip it!
You can replace dried oregano with dried parsley when making the tofu marinade.

Any cooking tips for this recipe?

You can cut the block of tofu into smaller cubes before soaking them into the salt water. This way, you’ll only need to soak the tofu for 10 minutes, however it might be more time consuming to dry the cubes one at a time. Alternatively, just soak the entire block of tofu in a bowl of salt water for 20-30 minutes before starting.
Ensure to squeeze all the excess water out of your tofu. You want to spend as much time and as many kitchen towels required to get this step right!
Shake off any excess batter from your tofu. You don’t want a very thick layer of cornstarch surrounding your popcorn.

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