Red Lentil Tofu
I have become a bonafide TikTok person. I crave the quick thrills, the fringe humor, the catchy songs, and the ASMR recipes that endow euphoria and cause endorphins to gush from my brain.
**some faves**
I save them, I re-watch them, I reference them at parties (probably more than is socially acceptable), and I go to sleep with them stuck in my head. The curated chaos is a welcome distraction with a few minutes to spare, especially when the algorithm is hitting just right.
Aside from bizarre memes, my TikTok often serves up delightful cooking content – quick cuts, close-ups, exaggerated audio – it’s a sensory overload where sights and sounds make up for the lack of smell and taste. It’s rare I’ll ever make the food that’s on-screen…that’s not really the point. But the other day, I stumbled upon a post that made me pause and re-watch. Out of character for my usual lineup of food content, this one was air fryer-adjacent and the creator recalled Emily Mariko with her petite platitudes and overly simplistic recipes. Alas, I had to see for myself if this two-ingredient lentil “tofu” was the real deal or just another #tiktokmademebuyit scam.
It was the former. So simple, so healthy, and so novel that you’ll want to B-line it to the bulk bin aisle stat and add this to your regular recipe rotation. Red lentils get soaked in hot water, then blitzed in a blender, briefly hydrated over the stove, chilled in the fridge, cubed, and pan-fried. It’s a truly remarkable transformation. The texture can be more or less firm depending on the amount of water you use, but this ratio yields a similar density to extra firm tofu. However, unlike tofu which can struggle a bit to crisp up, these little lentil cubes generate a delightful Maillard reaction when pan-fried with just a small amount of oil. The outside is crisp and caramelized while the inside is silky and soft, like a succulent piece of pork belly or a fried piece of mashed potato. Eat it on a salad, in a spring roll, over a grain bowl – really with anything that needs a protein blast minus the meat or soy.
While I won’t be making the TikTok pasta or the TikTok salmon any time soon, I will be making this lentil tofu until further notice.
Recipe (adapted from PowerHungry):
Ingredients:
3/4 cup red lentils
1 tablespoon miso paste (optional)
1 ½ cups boiling water
1 ½ cups room temperature water
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons cooking oil
Add the lentils, miso, and boiling water to a blender and let stand for 15-20 minutes. Then blend on high until a consistent texture has been reached.
To a pan, add the lentil mixture, remaining water, and salt and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, for 6-8 minutes. It’s ready when the texture is thick but still smooth and glossy.
Pour into an 8-inch baking pan or glass container, cover, and store in the fridge for a few hours or overnight. (no need to oil or line the dish)
When you’re ready to make tofu, invert the pan onto a cutting board and cut into 1.5 inch cubes.
Heat oil in a non-stick pan and add the first batch of cubes. Make sure you’re leaving enough space to be able to flip each cube one by one. Leave the cubes in the pan without moving them for about two minutes. You’ll know it’s time to flip them when they easily release from the pan. Flip too early and the crust will stick and separate from the cube. Cook either on two or all six sides, pending your patience level. Repeat with remaining cubes and enjoy hot!