CRISPY TOFU "SCALLOPS" WITH CUCUMBER TARTAR SAUCE

There aren't many vegan fish substitutes readily available in markets, but sometimes I crave something "seafoody".  This is one of the recipes I've come up with over the years to satisfy that.  Kids really enjoy these crunchy nuggets, and big kids, too! The bran flakes make a nutritious, crispy, and nicely-browned coating for the "scallops" and you don't need alot of oil, so, along with the cucumber sauce, it's a healthful and fairly low-fat meal, high-fiber and high in protein, too.

Printable Recipe

BRYANNA'S CRISPY TOFU "SCALLOPS" WITH CUCUMBER TARTAR SAUCE

Serves 4 

This is a fun recipe for a casual dinner.  A salad and perhaps some oven-fries would complete this meal.  The leftovers are good cold, too!

12 oz firm tofu, drained

whole wheat flour for dredging

1/2 cup soy, hemp or nut milk curdled with 1/2 Tbs. lemon juice

2 cups plain bran flakes cereal, ground in a dry blender or food processor to a crumb texture
(you can use an organic variety, such as Nature's Path)

1/4 cup oil for pan-frying

Marinade:

1 cup water

3 Tbs vegetarian mushroom-based "oyster sauce" 

(There is information about this type of sauce and a homemade recipe at this post)

1 Tbs lemon juice

1 Tbs olive oil

1 Tbs dulse flakes or nori  flakes

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1/2 Tbs sugar

1 tsp salt

freshly-ground black pepper to taste

Cucumber Tartar Sauce:

1 cup Eggless Low-fat Mayonnaise or Tofu Mayonnaise (my recipes at the links;  OR use Reduced-Fat Vegenaise or Spectrum Eggless, Vegan Light Canola Mayo)

6 Tbs minced green onion

6 Tbs minced slicing cucumber (the kind with the edible peel, which we call English cucumber in Canada--often sold as "Persian, "seedless" or "burpless" cucumbers-- see varieties here)

1/2 Tbs dried dillweed

cider, rice or white wine vinegar to taste

             

Early in the day, slice the drained tofu about 1/2" thick and cut it into rounds with a a very small round biscuit cutter, about 1" across. (I used the removable center of a biscuit cutter, which attaches to make it into a doughnut cutter-- like this. Sets of round cookie/biscuit cutters in graduating sizes have a small cutter like this, too.) Then slice the rounds in half horizontally to make smaller "scallops" (see pictures below).

  

Combine the Marinade ingredients in a container and add the "scallops".  Cover and refrigerate until serving time.

                                                 

Combine the Tartar Sauce ingredients in a small bowl and refrigerate until serving time.

Set up shallow bowls with the wholewheat flour, curdled soy or nut milk, and bran flake crumbs in a line on your counter.  Dredge the marinated "scallops" in the flour, then the curdled soy or nut milk, and then coat all over with the bran flake crumbs.  Place on a cookie sheet, not touching.

Heat the oil in a large skillet, such as cast iron, carbon steel or hard anodized.  When hot, add the coated scallops, turn the heat to medium-high, and fry until crispy on both sides.  Drain on  paper towels and serve hot with the Tartar Sauce.

Nutrition Facts

Nutrition (per serving): 345.7 calories; 55% calories from fat; 21.9g total fat; 0.0mg cholesterol; 546.5mg sodium; 436.7mg potassium; 30.9g carbohydrates; 6.2g fiber; 5.9g sugar; 12.4g protein ; 7.9 points.

Enjoy!