A step-by-step photo guide & recipe for making spiced vegetable fingers, a great vegan substitute for fish fingers.
Cooking and baking with kids is so important. It helps them to learn about food and encourages them to try new things as well as developing new skills.
I usually bake with Cooper, but I do take him into the kitchen to help prepare meals too. He was a great help making these spiced tofu fingers. In fact if you scroll down you will see step-by-step photos of him making this dish.
Spiced Tofu Fingers
Today Cooper made some Spiced Tofu Fingers.
They are a bit like breaded mozzarella in taste and texture, but they are dairy free and packed with protein.
He used bought golden breadcrumbs that were sitting in my store cupboard staring at me petulantly. I usually make fresh breadcrumbs, but these were perfect for this dish and I perked them up with spices.
Make sure you use regular tofu and not silken tofu, which won't work for this recipe, it's just too soft and better for creamy sauces and desserts.
How to prepare tofu
step one
Drain the tofu.
step two
Wrap in kitchen paper and tea towels.
step three
Wrap in kitchen paper and tea towels and weigh down with heavy books.
step four
After the moisture has drained out, slice tofu into fingers.
step five
Roll the fingers in spiced breadcrumbs.
step six
Bake or lightly fry in a little rapeseed oil until golden and crispy (mummy can help with this).
step 7
Serve with ketchup for dunking and enjoy!
.jpg "Enjoying Spiced Tofu Fingers") |
tofu, how to prepare tofu, preparing tofu, vegan fish fingers, vegan mozzarella fingers, breaded tofu, spiced tofu
lunch
vegan
Yield: 4
Spiced Tofu Fingers
A step-b-step guide to preparing tofu and making spiced breaded tofu fingers.
prep time: 30 minscook time: 10 minstotal time: 40 mins
ingredients
- 2 x 396g blocks tofu
- ½ cup golden breadcrumbs
- 3 tsp onion powder
- 1½ tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp chilli powder
- a good grinding of black pepper
- a little rapeseed oil for frying
instructions
- Drain the tofu, then wrap it in kitchen paper and tea towels. Weight with heavy books and leave for half an hour to drain the excess liquid from the tofu.
- Unwrap the tofu and slice into fingers.
- Mix the breadcrumbs with the spices and pour onto a plate. Dip the tofu fingers in the breadcrumbs until well coated.
- Bake or fry in a little oil until golden and crunchy.
- Serve with ketchup for dipping.
- Enjoy!
calories
168
168
fat (grams)
8.7
8.7
sat. fat (grams)
1.2
1.2
carbs (grams)
14.2
14.2
protein (grams)
10.4
10.4
sugar (grams)
1.5
1.5
Created using The Recipes Generator
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.jpg "Tofu Fingers") |
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This is so adorable! Such a deliciously simple recipe too, can't wait too to try it out - with some help from my kids!
ReplyDeleteThanks Katherine. I really is an easy one, but delicious. My hubby has asked f we can make more soon. He loved them!
DeleteOMG he is SO cute! Alas, despite eating it when she was smaller, my daughter is resolutely anti-tofu (to the point of preferring to be hungry when they serve it at her nursery). But I could so easily wolf down all of these myself...
ReplyDeleteAhhh that is a shame. She may not notice that it is tofu with this recipe as it tastes very like breaded mozzarella sticks.
Deletelovely simple recipe.
ReplyDeleteThanks Mayuri :)
DeleteI love tofu and these look delicious. Lovely pictures, your son is adorable and looks like he is having a lot of fun in the kitchen.
ReplyDeleteThanks Tina, I think so too, but then I am biased. He loves helping to cook and bake.
DeleteThese look lovely! I adore tofu, one of my favourite foods.
ReplyDeleteThanks Helen, I thought you may like these :)
DeletePlease can I send mini chef over to come help Cooper cook?
ReplyDeleteGo ahead, I am sure he'd love the company :)
DeleteMy kids love tofu and things in breadcrumbs, so this is a win-win recipe for this house. Love that you don't have to dip the tofu in sticky egg either - much less messy than the goujons we make here :-)
ReplyDeleteWell I guessed it might be wet enough still to stick and it worked perfectly. It meant that Graham could have them too as he is vegan.
DeleteHow fab do these look? Can't believe I've never thought of doing this to tofu and MUST try.
ReplyDeleteI hope you do Sarah, they are great :)
DeleteOooh I have not had tofu in ages, loved it deep fried but not very healthy - shallow frying is a better idea! They look really crispy and delicious!
ReplyDeleteOh, I haven't done this in ages - we usually cut the drained tofu lengthwise, so it's not super thick, and then cut it out into shapes - that's how we did "fish" sticks - we just got a couple of fish-shaped cookie cutters. Sometimes we freeze them after they're cut, and they puff when fried - more like croquettes.
ReplyDeleteGood call on frying with rapeside - we're switching entirely to rapeseed for on-the-hob stuff - it just holds up so much better to heat, and I've read you keep the good nutrients in olive oil more if you eat it cool, like a bread dip - which sounds better to me, anyway. ☺
You are right about the rapeseed oil Tanita, it can be heated to a much higher temperature and is even healthier than olive oil, but you cannot beat a good olive oil with balsamic vinegar for dipping.
DeleteThese look exceptionally yummy Jac, and well done Cooper for all your hard work! Lovely spice mix in the coating. Thanks so much for my Eat Your Veg mention, delighted!
ReplyDeleteThanks Lou and it's my pleasure.
DeleteI know I can always rely on you Jac to get me out of a ''what do I do with...' fix. I've got a pack of Tofu sat on my kitchen counter in hopes of motivating me to do something with it. It's been there for 3 months and is about a week from it's expiry date. E will love making these too as he's in super helpful 2 yr old mode :o)
ReplyDeleteHaha, that is great timing. I am so glad. Have fun making them and enjoy :)
Deletewhat a lovely idea Jac. My 24 month old loves crispy textures so I will try this out with him..no egg needed either in your recipe, bonus! x
ReplyDeleteI know, it was a gamble, but I am so glad it worked. I do like Graham to be able to enjoy the treats I (or Cooper) make :)
DeleteI really love tofu and have only just started cooking with it at home. Talking of oils to cook with we quite like groundnut too.
ReplyDeleteNow that is an oil I never use. I wonder why!
DeleteWhat a great use of tofu and Cooper looks like he loves cooking and enjoying the fruit of his labors!!
ReplyDeleteMary x
He really did enjoy both the cooking and the eating :)
DeleteI'll have to try these with my little girl. I don't use tofu very often but they sound really tasty.
ReplyDeleteThey are great and nice dunked in ketchup!
DeleteFantastic post Jac, although I was a little concerned that Cooper's fingers had gone into the mix - that top photo is a little disconcerting at first glance.
ReplyDeleteHaha, I see what you mean. He was just finding it awkward to pick out of the packet.
DeleteA great recipe and really unusual. Lovely to see Cooper having a good go at his own dinner. Will try it with my little ones x
ReplyDeleteI hope them enjoy it Ren :)
DeleteWell done to Cooper for being fantastic in the kitchen again :) isn't he cute!
ReplyDeleteThese lok like they aren't just fab for kids, but also for fussy boyfriends! I feel like my blog has practically become veggie after moving in with Jon so its great to find another way of cooking tofu!
Thanks for sharing x
Yes I know what you mean. I am doing a lot more vegan and a lot less cheese now I am cooking for a vegan husband.
DeleteLove how he's taking his job so seriously!
ReplyDeleteJanie x
He really is, isn't he :)
DeleteI love tofu but as yet the kids haven't tried it. now they will be trying it this way first. Thanks for the inspired idea Jac!
ReplyDeleteGood! I hope they enjoy it Laura :)
Deletegreat photos - he looks so pleased with himself - I still give sylvia plastic plates so am impressed at the pretty dipping bowl for cooper's sauce. I know the bit Sylvia would really want to do it the frying. tonight she finished dinner quickly enough to help make bikkies for school and loved it.
ReplyDeleteThat's brilliant Johanna. It's so worth taking them into the kitchen. I have to admit Cooper usually gets plastic plates, but not always.
DeleteThe star of the show is of course........COOPER Jac!! LOVELY post! Karen xxx
ReplyDeleteCooper is looking SO grown up! What a cutie. And well done for getting him to like tofu and vegetables so early in life. Because of my job I really am so happy to see plant-based eating starting early - circumvents a lot of trouble later in life. Great job, as a Mum and as a recipe developer.
ReplyDeleteThanks Kellie, I shan't tell you that he can be quite picky and he won't eat all veg, just a few. I try to make it up with fruit and smoothies.
DeleteAwesome to see Cooper! And very well done on this recipe!
ReplyDeleteThanks David :)
DeleteUm, your kid is adorable. That is all.
ReplyDeleteThanks Morgan, I think so too!
DeleteI made these beauties but spiced up the outer layer a bit with smoked spiced paprika too! xx Cooper is loving it indeed, who wouldn't ??? x
ReplyDeleteI also love the new look of your cool blog! xx
Thanks Sophie and glad you enjoyed them :)
DeleteHe is sooo ADORABLE! The cutest chef I've ever seen :)
ReplyDeleteYeah and he knows it Sylvia :)
DeleteI can never seem to find tasty tofu recipes my family enjoy but this looks the business. If that boy of yours is not on junior master chef by the time he can reach the knife rack then there is no justice.
ReplyDeleteHehe, I know what you mean. He does love it and I bought him a green lettuce knife for chopping. Lou over at eat your veg has one for her tot.
DeleteIt's always such a pleasure to see Cooper Cooking recipes, he is such a star.
ReplyDeleteCould you have this as a main? What would you serve it with?
ReplyDelete