Baked Coconut Crusted Tofu With Thai Sweet Chili Sauce

These are a huge hit with my kids and because not everything is, I often give in and make these more frequently when our lives get a bit hectic. At first glance these may look somewhat time consuming, but really the only time it takes is in waiting for the marinade to do it’s job. The ‘breading’ of the cutlets does not require multiple bowls nor is it messy or difficult.

Turmeric, garlic and coconut milk have long been a favourite flavour combo of mine and paired with a crunchy coconut coating and a sweet, spicy Thai Sweet Chili Sauce, these are delicious!

Step 1: The Ingredients!

2 350 gram blocks of organic firm or extra firm tofu

For the Marinade:

1 can of coconut milk

¼ cup (60 ml) water

2 tbsp (30 ml) turmeric

1 tbsp (15 ml) salt

6 cloves of garlic, pressed

For the Crust:

1 cup (100 grams) unsweetened shredded coconut

⅔ cup (38 grams) wheat bran

½ tsp (2.5 ml) turmeric

To Dip:

1 bottle of Thai Sweet Chili Sauce

Step 2: Drain That Tofu!

Add your tofu to a tofu press for about 20 minutes to remove any excess water so that your tofu can absorb the marinade. If you don't have a tofu press wrap your drained tofu in a clean tea towel and place something heavy on top like a cast iron pan.

Step 3: Cut Your Tofu!

Cut your tofu blocks by first cutting them in half (from top to bottom), flipping each half on its side and cutting each half into 6 equal ‘slabs’. Poke each slab a couple of times with a fork to allow holes for extra marinade to seep in.

Step 4: Marinate!

Mix your marinade in a large dish by adding your coconut milk, 1/4 cup of water to thin (you won’t need this if you’re using ‘light’ canned coconut milk), 2 tbsp turmeric, 1 tbsp salt and 6 pressed cloves of garlic. Place the tofu into the marinade and gently flip them until every piece is covered. Cover and marinate in the fridge for about an hour.

Step 5: Add the Crispy Crunch!

Preheat your oven to 400 F (200C). Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Prepare your crust ingredients in one small to medium sized bowl by mixing your shredded coconut, wheat bran and turmeric until combined. Once your coconut has marinated remove one piece at a time and with a butter knife scrape off any ‘chunks’ that may be sticking to it. Drop each slab into the bowl with the ‘crust’ ingredients, flip to ensure even coating and place on your baking sheet. Continue until all of the pieces are coated. Cover the baking sheet with tented foil (you don’t want the crust to stick to the foil) and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes or until the coating is golden and crunchy.