Apollo Tofu

5 from 4 votes

Crispy, peppery Apollo tofu is a popular South-Indian appetizer that is just absolutely delicious! Serve it as a starter or side, or dish it up over rice. (nut-free with gluten-free and soy-free options)

Prep Time10

Cook Time25

Total Time35

Course: Appetizer, Side, Side Dish

Cuisine: Indian, South Indian

Keyword: apollo tofu, vegan apollo chicken, vegan apollo fish

Servings:

Author: Vegan Richa

Ingredients

For the Tofu

15 ounces firm or extra-firm tofu pressed for at least 15 minutes and torn into ¾-inch bite-sized pieces
1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste or 3 cloves garlic, minced, and 1/2” ginger, minced
2 teaspoons oil
1 teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder
½ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon rice flour or use more corn starch
2 teaspoons oil

For the Sauce

2 teaspoons oil
2 tablespoons finely chopped garlic
2 teaspoons finely chopped ginger
2 to 4 green chilies sliced diagonally into thin slices, such as serrano, Indian, or milder chilies of choice
15 curry leaves fresh, frozen, or dried, or more, to preference (whole or chopped)
1 teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder
2 teaspoons ground coriander
½ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon salt or more, to taste
2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari (for gluten free) or coconut aminos
1 tablespoon sambal oelek or other Asian chili sauce, sriracha, or chili crisp
2 teaspoons lime juice
3 tablespoon fresh orange juice juice of 1 small orange
1 teaspoon cornstarch mixed with ½ cup water

For Garnish

chopped cilantro
chopped green onion
garam masala

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Coat the tofu.

Press the tofu, if you haven’t already, then tear it into bite-sized pieces and add it to a bowl. Add the ginger-garlic paste and oil, and toss well to coat. If using minced ginger and garlic, add a little extra oil to help coat the tofu evenly. In a small bowl, mix the Kashmiri chili powder, salt, cornstarch, and rice flour until well combined. Sprinkle this mixture over the tofu, and toss well to coat.

Pan-fry or bake the tofu.

To pan-fry, heat two teaspoons of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the tofu and let it sit undisturbed for two to three minutes. Flip using a spatula or by gently tossing the pan, and cook for another minute. Then, flip again. Repeat this two to three times until most sides are crisp, then remove from the skillet.
To bake, preheat the oven to 400° F (205° C), and transfer the tofu to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Spread it out, so the pieces are not sticking to each other. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until crisp, preferably using convection mode so the tofu gets really crispy.

Make the sauce.

Heat the same skillet over medium heat and add the remaining 2 teaspoons of oil. Once the oil is hot, reduce the heat to low, so the garlic doesn’t burn. Add the ginger and garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, until the garlic just starts to turn golden. Add the green chilies and curry leaves. Increase the heat to medium. If the pan looks dry, add another teaspoon of oil. Cook for about half a minute. Add all the spices and the remaining salt. Add the soy sauce and the Asian chili sauce, and mix everything together. Add the lime juice and orange juice. Stir the cornstarch and water together, and add it in, mixing well. Bring the mixture to a boil.
As soon as the sauce is boiling, add the crispy tofu, and toss well to coat. Turn off the heat. Garnish with cilantro, green onion, a dash of garam masala, and another squeeze of lime juice if you like. Serve immediately, as is, with cucumber or a side salad, over rice, or with onion ring salad, or even as wraps. It’s just fantastically delicious.

Video

Notes

To make a saucier Apollo tofu, add a 1/4 cup of chopped onion with ginger and garlic, add another tablespoon of soy sauce and another tablespoon of sambal oelek. Use 2 teaspoons of cornstarch mixed with 1 cup of water. Bring the sauce to a boil, then fold in the tofu and serve.

Allergy info: Apollo tofu is naturally nut-free. To make it soy-free, use a soy-free plant-based protein instead of the tofu, such as chickpea flour tofu, pumpkin seed tofu or cooked chickpeas. Use coconut aminos instead of soy sauce. For gluten-free, just use tamari instead of soy sauce.

To make wraps, chop some lettuce or cabbage and toss with lime juice, salt, and pepper. Top with the tofu and finish with a drizzle of vegan yogurt or vegan ranch, and serve.

Nutrition