Ingredients
Dry
- 1.5 cup All-purpose flour (for breading)
- 0.25 cup All-purpose flour (for gravy)
- 0.25 cup Cornstarch
- 1 Tbsp Garlic powder
- 1 Tbsp Onion powder
- 1 tsp Smoked paprika
- 2 tsp Black pepper (divided for breading and gravy)
- 1 tsp Salt
Other
- 1 block (14 oz) Extra-firm tofu (frozen, thawed, pressed, and sliced into 4 steaks)
- 0.25 cup Vegan butter
- 2 cup Neutral frying oil (for pan-frying)
Wet
- 1 cup Unsweetened soy milk (for batter)
- 0.5 cup Unsweetened soy milk (for gravy)
- 1 Tbsp Apple cider vinegar
- 2 Tbsp Hot sauce
- 2 cup Vegetable broth
Method
- 1. In a shallow dish, whisk together 1 cup of soy milk and the apple cider vinegar. Let sit for 5 minutes to curdle and create a vegan buttermilk. Whisk in the hot sauce.
- 2. In a separate shallow dish, whisk together 1.5 cups of flour, cornstarch, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon of black pepper, and salt.
- 3. Dip each tofu steak into the dry flour mixture, coating completely. Next, dip it into the wet buttermilk mixture, and then back into the dry flour mixture for a thick, double breading.
- 4. Heat the neutral oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, carefully add the breaded tofu steaks. Fry for 4-5 minutes on each side until golden brown and crispy. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
- 5. To make the gravy, melt the vegan butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the remaining 0.25 cup of flour and cook for 1 minute to form a roux.
- 6. Gradually whisk in the vegetable broth and remaining 0.5 cup of soy milk, ensuring there are no lumps. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook until the gravy thickens (about 5-7 minutes).
- 7. Season the gravy generously with the remaining 1 teaspoon of black pepper and additional salt to taste.
- 8. Serve the crispy vegan steaks hot, generously smothered in the country pepper gravy.
Chef's notes
Freezing and thawing the tofu before pressing is a crucial step! It changes the structure of the tofu to be more porous and meaty, perfect for mimicking chicken fried steak.