I assume the majority of those who clicked on this article did so with a skeptical eye; tofu is the most over-hated food out there. I’m convinced all of you haters have just never had it made correctly. 

A little over four years ago, I became a vegetarian and had to experiment with meat substitutes. Initially I turned up my nose to tofu, imagining the slimy, flavorless cubes I had tried as a child. After learning how to properly prepare it, it is one of my favorite foods. My non-vegetarian friends even love it, demanding a piece whenever I bring it for lunch.

This meal is high in protein, healthy, and absolutely delicious. I’m about to change your mind about tofu with this perfectly crisp sweet and spicy garlicky tofu recipe.

Ingredients: 

• One block extra firm tofu, or two because it is just THAT good (my favorite is the Trader Joe’s high protein tofu)
• Cornstarch
• Salt & pepper
• 2 tbsp soy sauce (I use Kikkoman)
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp harissa (I use Trader Joe’s brand, use less if you don’t like too much spice)
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar (this can be substituted with almost any other form of vinegar)
• ½ tbsp sesame oil
• 1 or 2 cloves of garlic, minced (I usually go for 2, depending on size)

Optional, but not really:

• 1 stalk of green onion, thinly chopped
• Sesame seeds

To serve:

I usually serve this with basmati white rice and broccoli, which is the best combination in my opinion. This tofu tossed over a salad, alongside a quinoa bowl, or even on its own, are also delicious options as well.

1. The first step is to rinse your tofu block and pat it dry with a paper towel. Cut the tofu into small/medium sized cubes. 
2. Transfer the tofu cubes into a bowl and sprinkle cornstarch, salt, and pepper on top. Mix the tofu around until each piece is coated. This is what will make the tofu crispy on the outside. 
3. In another bowl or easy-to-pour container, whisk soy sauce, honey, harissa, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and minced garlic together. Set aside.
4. Heat a medium sized skillet with about two tablespoons of oil (I use avocado oil). 
5. On medium-high heat, place the tofu in. A key step in this process is to put a specific side of each piece of the tofu face down. Let it sizzle until the bottom side becomes a golden brown color, and starts to have a crispy, bubbly appearance.

   

6. Flip each piece of tofu to the other side (tedious, I know, but very important) and repeat the process. 
7. Once fully crisp and golden brown, lower the heat to simmer. Sprinkle sesame seeds and half of the thinly-chopped green onion into the pan. This helps to develop the flavor. 
8. Turn the heat off and gently pour the sauce over the tofu. Stir until each piece is fully coated and sticky.

   

9. Top with remaining green onion and more sesame seeds. 
10. Serve how you like, and enjoy!