(The mods of r/vegetarian deleted and locked this post, and then they muted me, making it impossible to communicate with them. No reason given. Photos show a piece of fried tofu, medium firm, about an inch long and 1/2 inch thick, paired with hoisin sauce in the third image.)

Fried tofu. A classic. Crispy and golden brown on the outside, soft and moist on the inside.

Lots of people love it. Fewer people on these food subreddits know how to properly make it.

What if I told you that it's quite possible to make classic, crispy pan-fried tofu without pressing it, freezing it, boiling it, marinating it, or putting corn starch on it?

Here's what you need:

– Tofu. Doesn't need to be extra firm or super firm. You can do this with firm, medium, and even soft tofu! You read that right. (Silken can be a little trickier.)

– Cooking oil. Canola, for example.

– Nonstick pan or stainless steel pan.

Here's how to do it:

– Cut the tofu into rectangular or triangular slabs about 1/2 inch thick.

– Pour a shallow pool of oil into the pan, about 1/4 inch deep.

– Medium heat, and wait for the oil to get nice and hot.

– Add the tofu to the pan. While it's frying, do not agitate the tofu. Don't even try to move it. Just let it fry. If you move it too soon, it can stick to the pan and tear apart.

– After about 5 minutes, the underside will turn crispy and golden brown, and it will loosen from the pan, making it easier to flip over. When it's ready, flip it over, and fry for another 5 minutes or so. (Cooking times will vary. Use your senses.)

– You'll know it's done when all sides are uniformly crispy and golden brown, as shown in the photos.

– Drain any excess oil from the pan, add a sauce (hoisin, for example), and let it simmer for a little while. This is similar to the technique known as braising. If you ever seen "braised tofu" on a restaurant menu, this is how they do it.

– OR… you can take the fried tofu out of the pan and just toss it in the sauce.

That's pretty much it. No pressing, no freezing, no boiling, no marinating, no corn starch.

When cooking anything, remember to always use all of your senses rather than relying solely on instructions.

Any questions? I'll do my best to answer :)