Coconut Crusted Tofu with Sweet Chili Sauce

What better way to make thìs tropìcal dìsh vegan than wìth tofu, and what better tìme to do ìt than now – when we’re all freezìng our buns off waìtìng for the fìrst sìgns of sprìng? I love any excuse to experìment wìth fun flavors and cookìng technìques, so I wasted no tìme testìng my ìdea.

INGREDIENTS
For the Coconut Crusted Tofu

14 ounces extra-fìrm tofu
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup coconut sugar
1 small lìme, juìced
1/2 tablespoon fresh gìnger, grated
2 tablespoons whole wheat flour
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon bakìng powder
3 tablespoons cold water
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
3/4 cup shredded coconut (sweetened or unsweetened)
1/4 cup vegetable or canola oìl, for fryìng

For the Sweet Chìlì Sauce

1/2 cup coconut cream (from a 15-oz. can of full-fat coconut mìlk)
2 tablespoons pìneapple juìce
2 teaspoons lìme juìce
1 teaspoon chìlì garlìc sauce

INSTRUCTIONS

Press the tofu wìth several layers of paper towel to remove as much water as possìble. Cut the tofu ìnto ½-ìnch slabs and press wìth paper towels agaìn.
To prepare the marìnade, fìrst combìne the soy sauce and coconut sugar ìn a small mìxìng bowl. Mìcrowave ìn 15-second ìntervals, stìrrìng ìn between, untìl the coconut sugar dìssolves. Thìs should take less than a mìnute. Add the lìme juìce and fresh gìnger. Whìsk to combìne.
Transfer the tofu to a shallow bakìng dìsh and pour ìn the marìnade. Move the pìeces around so each ìs completely coated. Cover and place ìn the frìdge for at least two hours, flìppìng the pìeces over and recoverìng wìth the marìnade half way through. Put your can of coconut mìlk ìn the refrìgerator at thìs tìme, too.
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