Tofish and Chips

Tofish and chips has all the taste and none of the cruelty of this favorite takeout classic.

Tofish and chips main

One of my favorite meals from my non vegan days was fish and chips. My mother didn’t like to cook fish so the only time we ever ate it is when she would bring home restaurant fish and chips for dinner. I loved it and it was my absolute favorite meal as a teenager. My love of fish ended when I went vegan and thought about the cruelty involved in fishing, and learnt of the devastation caused by fishing and overfishing. I found tofu a good and easy substitute and so I gladly gave up eating fish.

How to make tofish

Making tofish takes a little effort but it’s a very easy recipe. The ingredients list is simple, most of which I had on hand. It called for deep frying which is fine with me as I don’t eat fried foods very often. I have made deep fried tofu before and it always turned out well.Most recipes call for Old Bay Seasoning and nori flakes as flavourings. I had nori sheets and just ground them in my blender to makes flakes. I made my own salt free version of old bay seasoning based on this recipe I found here. I just used celery seed instead of celery salt.

To make the tofish, you begin by slicing the tofu into triangluar shapes. Then you coat the tofu with the nori and Old Bay mixture. Then you bread the tofish in a dredge. Then your tofish is ready for frying. To fry tofish, put about 2 inches of oil in a wok and fry the tofish over medium high heat. After frying, drain each piece on a paper towel and then move them to a baking sheet and put them in the oven to let them fully cook through. That gives them a firmer more fish like texture.
For those of you who don’t use any oil, these probably can also be air fried or just baked instead of pan fried. I haven’t tried it, so if you do, please leave me a comment to let know how it turned out.

I like to serve tofish in the classic way with french fries, coleslaw and tartar sauce. It was a yummy, easy, casual meal and honestly as good as and even better than the fish version. Give it a try and I’m sure you’ll agree. Enjoy!

Tofish and Chips

Course: Entrees, lunch
Cuisine: british
Keyword: tofish, vegan fish, vegan fish and chips
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Servings: 4
Author: Una Rose
Print Recipe

Ingredients

  • 350 g firm tofu cut into 8-3/4 inch rectangles
  • Organic canola oil for frying

Rub mixture:

  • 2 tablespoons nori flakes
  • 3 tablespoons Old Bay Seasoning

Dredge Mixture:

  • 1/2 teaspoon stevia leaf powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon curry powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon cumin
  • 1-1/2 cups water
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 tablespoon rub mixture
  • 1-1/2 cups gluten free flour

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
  • Slice the tofu and set aside.
  • In a small bowl combine the nori and Old Bay Seasoning. With your fingers, rub the mixture onto both sides of the tofu pieces. Set aside.
  • In a small mixing bowl combine the ingredients for the dredge. It should be a medium thick pourable batter. Stir well until well mixed.
  • Heat a wok over medium high heat and add a 2 inches of oil.
  • When oil is very hot, dip a piece of tofu in the dredge mixture, turning to coat both sides. Wipe off excess on the side of the bowl.
  • Carefully place in the frying pan and fry for 20-30 seconds or until golden brown. Flip and fry for another 20-30 seconds.
  • Once browned on both sides place on a baking sheet lined with double layer of paper towels.
  • Once all the pieces are cooked, blot the oil lightly with more paper towels. Add more dredge batter to areas that are uncovered with a spoon or pastry brush. Flip and cover the other side as well.
  • Place tofish on a silicone sheet lined baking sheet. Place in the oven.
  • Bake tofish for 15-30 minutes until texture is dense and slightly chewy, not soft.
  • Remove from heat and serve with french fries, peas or coleslaw and your favorite tartar sauce.