3tablespoonstamari(or soy sauce if not gluten-free)
1tablespoonapple cider vinegar(ensure gluten-free if necessary)
1tablespoonagave syrup(or sub any other sweetener)
Pinchground black pepper, to taste
To serve:
36lettuce leaves(Romaine, Cos or butterhead lettuce work well)
2.5cupscooked rice (Japanese sushi rice or brown rice)
Carrots, peeled and sliced into thin matchsticks
Cucumber, sliced into thin matchsticks
Avocado, thinly sliced
Purple cabbage, thinly sliced
Cress
Raw zucchini (courgette), sliced into thin matchsticks
Red pepper, sliced into thin matchsticks
Instructions
For the tofu katsu:
Drain and rinse tofu and pat dry with a paper towel
Cut the block of tofu into thirds horizontally, then each piece into 6 small rectangles
Mix together the flour and water in a bowl
Mix the breadcrumbs with salt + pepper and lay out onto a plate
Dip a piece of tofu into the flour and water mixture, then coat with the breadcrumbs. Transfer onto a large plate
Repeat for the rest of the tofu
Heat up oil in a large frying pan and cook on a medium heat for about 15 minutes, occasionally turning over the pieces until crispy and golden
Transfer onto a plate lined with a paper towel to soak up the excess oil
For the sauce:
Mix together all ingredients for the sauce in a small bowl. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary
To serve:
Lay out lettuce leave on a plate
Add about a heaped tablespoon of rice and a piece of tofu to each one, along with vegetables of choice
Serve with the sauce for dipping/drizzling
Notes
*36 lettuce wraps serves around 4 people**Panko breadcrumbs work really well for this tofu katsu, but if you’re gluten-free you can:
Make your own breadcrumbs by crumbling up gluten-free bread with your hands or in a food processor
Use shop-bought gluten-free breadcrumbs
Use crushed gluten-free cornflakes
***I tested out lots of different ways to make this tofu katsu, so you can choose which method you prefer depending on your dietary requirements and how healthy you want to be. You can either:
Pan-fry in a small amount of oil - this is the method stated above.
Shallow-fry in about 1cm of oil - similar cooking time to the method stated above.
Bake in oven with a tiny amount of oil added - lay out tofu katsu pieces on a baking tray, drizzle over a small amount of oil or spray with oil. Bake at 180 degrees (350 degrees) for about 15 minutes, or until crispy and golden brown.
Bake in the oven oil-free (this worked surprisingly well) - lay out tofu katsu pieces on a baking tray. Bake at 180 degrees (350 degrees) for about 15 minutes, or until crispy and golden brown.
Cook in your air-fryer if you’re lucky enough to own one!