Makes: 2 servings (4 fish filets).
Time: 45 min.
You can make seafood from tofu. Who knew? With this recipe, you will create your very own battered fish filets — without the fish! Finally kick your seafood craving with this plant-based fish dish. Serve with lime-dill pea rice and the special star of the show, our homemade tartar sauce.
Ingredients
Tartar Sauce
- 1⁄8 cup (30 ml) unsweetened soy milk
- 1/4 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 1⁄8 teaspoon mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon maple syrup
- 1/4 teaspoon kala namak (Himalayan black salt)
- 1/2 teaspoon lime juice
- 1⁄3 cup (75 g) canola oil
- 1 teaspoon dill, chopped
- 1 tablespoon relish
- 1 teaspoon capers, drained and finely chopped
- salt to taste
Rice
- 1 cup (180 g) parboiled rice
- 1-1/2 cups (375 ml) water
- 1/4 teaspoon salt + more salt to taste
- 1 cup (115 g) frozen peas
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 2 teaspoons dill, chopped
Fish
- 2 (1/2 inch or 1 cm–thick) slices firm tofu
- 1 nori sheet
- 1/2 cup (60 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
- 1/4 teaspoon curry powder
- 1⁄8 teaspoon white pepper
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) seltzer water or beer or cider
- canola oil for pan-frying
Instructions
Tartar Sauce
- Add in an immersion blender unsweetened soy milk, apple cider vinegar, mustard, maple syrup, kala namak, and lime juice. Blend for 1 minute, then slowly start drizzling in the canola oil while the immersion blender is running. Blend for about 3 minutes until mixture is thick and creamy. If it’s too liquidy, add a bit more oil and blend further.
- Transfer the mixture to a bowl and add the dill, relish, capers, and more salt to taste. Stir to combine. Set aside in the fridge.
Rice
- In a medium-sized pot over low heat, cook the parboiled rice, water, and salt while steaming the frozen peas on top until all the water has been absorbed.
- Once the rice is done, stir in the peas and add in the lime juice, dill, and more salt to taste. Combine.
Fish
- Cut the two slices of tofu in half to make 4 pieces total. Slice the nori sheet into 4 pieces in the same shapes as the tofu pieces. Place the sliced nori pieces on top of each piece of tofu. Press the nori onto each piece of tofu so that it sticks. Sprinkle the backside of each piece of tofu with a pinch of salt.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, salt, curry powder, and pepper. Then, add in the seltzer water, beer, or cider and whisk until a smooth batter forms. You can adjust the consistency by adding a bit more flour if it’s too runny or more seltzer water, beer, or cider if it’s too thick.
- Prepare a pan and fill with enough canola oil so that the fish filets can swim in the oil. Make sure to leave enough space in the pan to prevent the oil from boiling over.
- Dip the tofu with the nori sheet into the batter, flip until coated on all sides, and put it in the hot pan. Pan-fry for about 3 to 4 minutes on each side until golden.
- Transfer the vegan fish onto a paper towel to remove excess oil.
- Serve with the lime-dill pea rice and tartar sauce and enjoy!
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Cover courtesy of Skyhorse Publishing
Excerpted with permission from Cravings Made Veganby Bianca Haun and Sascha Naderer. Copyright 2019 by Skyhorse Publishing, Inc. Also available at Barnes & Noble and your local bookstore.