Brown Girl Vegan

Category: Snack

  • Korean BBQ Popcorn Tofu Bites

    Korean BBQ Popcorn Tofu Bites

    An easy and spicy tofu recipe that is irresistible. And the secret to its ‘chicken’-like texture? Read to find out the secret behind the BEST, CRISPIEST TOFU!

    Korean BBQ Popcorn Tofu Bites

    The Secrets to Making the Best Tofu

    An easy and amazing tofu snack that is simply irresistible. And the secret to it’s ‘chicken’-like texture?

    Secret #1: Freezing & thawing your tofu blocks! All you have to do is freeze your firm tofu overnight and thaw it in the refrigerator for a few hours or microwave on high for a minute. Remember to drain the excess water fully using paper towels or a tofu press.

    Alternatively, you can also press it down with your sauce tubs or anything that resembles heavy blocks. Once that is done, you should notice the change in the texture – it should be firmer, chewier and springy.

    Secret #2: When pan frying, deep drying or air frying your tofu pieces, remember to coat them in some spices and corn flour. This gives you extra crispy tofu!

    Choosing a flavourful sauce is super important!

    Secret #3: Choosing a flavourful sauce. The sauce base for this recipe is very simple – a mix of gochujang (korean chilli paste), gochugaru (korean chilli flakes), sesame oil, dark soy sauce and rice wine vinegar. I love the brand of gochujang shown below and it’s vegan friendly.

    Sunchang Gochujang (Vegan Friendly)


    You can use this in wraps, tacos or just eat it by itself because that’s what I did 🤭

    Gluten Free Options

    Unfortunately, there is no gluten free option using gochujang as gochujang is not gluten free. However, you can substitute it with regular chili paste and replace the soy sauce with tamari for a gluten free version of this dish.

    I really like the ones below by Lee Kum Kee and Kikkoman. I have also attached the images of other gluten free soy sauce alternatives like Tamari and Coconut Aminos below. You can get them at Amazon or your local Asian grocery store.

    • Lee Kum Kee Gluten Free Soy Sauce
    • Kikkoman Gluten Free Soy Sauce
    • Meridian Tamari Soya Sauce
    • Coconut Secret Coconut Aminos

    You can find out more about the relevant substitutes in the notes below!

    Print Recipe

    Korean BBQ Popcorn Tofu Bites

    An easy tofu snack that is spicy, crispy and super addictive!
    Cook Time30 minutes
    Total Time30 minutes
    Course: Appetizer, Side Dish
    Cuisine: Fusion, Korean
    Keyword: quick, tofu
    Servings: 2

    Equipment

    • 1 Frying Pan

    Ingredients

    • 450 g Firm Tofu
    • 1 tbsp corn starch
    • 1 tsp onion powder
    • 1 tsp garlic powder
    • 1/4 tsp black salt

    Spicy Sauce

    • 1/2 tbsp gochujang
    • 2 tsp gochugaru
    • 1 tsp sesame oil
    • 1 tsp dark soy sauce
    • 1 tsp rice wine vinegar
    • 3 tbsp water

    Toppings

    • Toasted Sesame Seeds

    Instructions

    • (OPTIONAL) Freeze tofu overnight. Thaw it in the refrigerator for a few hours or microwaves for a minute.
    • Tear up the tofu into pieces and coat it with the dry mixture.
    • Panfry or air fry the tofu pieces with a splash of olive oil until crispy.
    • Prepare the sauce by mixing the ingredients together. Add the sauce into the pan and mix with the fried tofu pieces until the sauce thickens and reduces. The dish should be sticky and not dry. Add more water if required.
    • Add toasted sesame seeds and give it a good mix. Serve in wraps, tacos, sandwiches, rice bowls or just eat it as a snack!

    Notes

    1. For a gluten free version, replace gochujang with a regular chilli paste and replace soy sauce with tamari. 
    2. You can replace rice wine vinegar with mirin or white vinegar. 
    3. This recipe will work if the tofu is pan fried, air fried, or deep fried. I have yet to try baking it to achieve optimal crispiness. 
  • 5-min Spicy Cold Silken Tofu

    5-min Spicy Cold Silken Tofu

    This cold silken tofu (soft tofu) dish is the perfect protein-packed spicy dish that can be made in just 5 minutes!

    You just need 5 minutes to make this protein-rich snack!

    What is Tofu? Here’s a quick back story.

    Tofu originated in China and has been an integral part of Chinese cuisine for over 2,000 years since the Han dynasty. It has made its presence now over the world due to its versatility. There are also different types of tofu – including firm, soft, silken and frozen. Today we’ll be experimenting with silken tofu: a soft tofu predominantly made from soy beans and water. The water content in this tofu is significantly higher than other types of tofu.

    I used Japanese Silken Tofu with Omege-3 DHA. The brand is called Fortune, and is readily available at the supermarkets near me!

    Japanese Silken Tofu with Omega 3 DHA


    With silken tofu, I decided to make a recipe so simple that anyone can make it with their eyes closed. This is the perfect vegan snack or meal for anyone and everyone. The best part, this recipe doesn’t require any cooking (except heating the sesame oil). It can be made in just 5 minutes because all you have to do is combine a few ingredients and pour the sauce over pre-packaged silken tofu.

    The best part is that this recipe doesn’t require any cooking (except heating up the sesame oil)

    Gluten Free Option

    This recipe can also easily be made gluten free by substituting regular ramen noodles with brown rice ramen for similar taste. You also have to use gluten free soy sauce. I really like the ones below by Lee Kum Kee and Kikkoman. I have also attached the images of other gluten free soy sauce alternatives like Tamari and Coconut Aminos below. You can get them at Amazon or your local Asian grocery store.

    • Lee Kum Kee Gluten Free Soy Sauce
    • Kikkoman Gluten Free Soy Sauce
    • Meridian Tamari Soya Sauce
    • Coconut Secret Coconut Aminos


    I don’t often eat cold foods, but this spicy tofu really hit the spot!

    Print Recipe

    5-min Spicy Cold Silken Tofu

    This no-cook silken tofu dish will blow your mind because of its spicy & cooling flavour.
    Prep Time5 minutes
    Total Time5 minutes
    Course: Main Course, Side Dish
    Cuisine: Chinese, Fusion
    Keyword: quick
    Servings: 2

    Equipment

    • Pan
    • Bowl

    Ingredients

    • 300 g silken tofu
    • 1.5 tbsp chopped scallions
    • 2 tbsp soy sauce
    • 1 tsp rice wine vinegar
    • 2 tsp gochugaru
    • 2 tbsp sesame oil
    • 1 tsp maple syrup
    • 2 tbsp minced cucumbers

    Garnish

    • Toasted Sesame Seeds

    Instructions

    • Add scallions and gochugaru powder to a bowl.
    • Heat sesame oil on a pan on medium flame for 2-3 minutes. Do not let it burn! Add it to the mixture and let it sizzle.
    • Mix the ingredients. Add soy sauce, vinegar, maple syrup, cucumbers and give it a good mix.
    • Drain the silken tofu in a delicate way so it doesn't break. You can use towels to absorb the excess moisture.
    • Top the silken tofu with the mixture with a spoon (or pour it over).
    • Garnish with sesame seeds.

    Notes

    1. For gluten free option, substitute soy sauce with tamari. The rest of the ingredients are naturally gluten free. 
    2. You add more gochugaru depending on your spice tolerance. I used mild spice gochugaru so mine was not as hot. 
    3. You can substitute rice wine vinegar with white vinegar or mirin. 
    4. You can replace scallions with spring onions (both green and the white parts work)
  • Vegan Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

    Vegan Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

    Banana Bread was the star of lockdown in 2019 and now…we’re bringing it back! This healthy, vegan chocolate chip banana bread recipe is a must-bake for any dessert lover.

    My vegan rendition of Dark Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

    I always tried to master the basics of banana bread before trying any other desserts because…I’m a savory queen. So here’s my final vegan rendition of this popular bake – it’s best paired with vegan vanilla ice cream and the duo truly hits the spot!

    I also find that banana bread is one of the easiest desserts to make that is also pantry friendly. You will need baking staples like flour, baking powder, sugar, vanilla extract and for the main ingredients, ripe bananas and dark chocolate. Walnuts also work great in this recipe.

    Vegan Chocolate Chip Banana Bread made with dark chocolate

    This recipe is not gluten free – none of my gluten free recipes worked (I tried chickpea flour, buckwheat flour was alright and oat flour) so I stuck to self-raising flour while making sure other ingredients were as organic and natural as possible! Hence, this recipe is also REFINED SUGAR FREE and healthy!

    How do I Make a Healthy Banana Bread?

    Got ripe bananas in your kitchen that are about to go bad? Mash them and add them to this recipe is get the bread without adding too much sugar. It’s important to use ripe bananas to get the maximum sweetness.

    I also use coconut sugar to keep this recipe refined sugar free. The dark chocolate chips also do not contain any refined sugar (the ones you find in grocery stores probably contain them so remember to check the ingredient labels!).

    However, for a healthier option, you can substitute self-raising flour for wholemeal flour. Add 1 teaspoon of baking soda to the dry ingredients in this case. 

    I used ripened bananas, refined coconut oil from Nature’s Glory Singapore and coconut flower sugar from NAKED. Here’s what the consistency and texture of the batter looked like:

    Consistency of Banana Bread batter

    Other Substitutions

    You also have to make sure to use REFINED coconut oil! It removes the strong coconut smell and gives you a nice smelling banana bread. However, you can still use regular coconut oil if you are okay with the hint of coconut once the bread is baked.

    You can also substitute oat milk for any other plant milk. I find that both soy and cashew milks work great. If the mixture seems too dry, add in an additional splash of milk to get the consistency shown above.

    Print Recipe

    Vegan Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

    The perfect dessert and snack for tea time. So easy you can make this with your eyes closed sooner or later 😉
    Cook Time1 hour 30 minutes
    Total Time1 hour 30 minutes
    Course: Dessert, Snack
    Keyword: Banana Bread, vegan
    Servings: 4

    Equipment

    • Baking Oven

    Ingredients

    • 1.75 cups self-raising flour
    • 1/3 cup coconut sugar
    • 2 tsp baking powder
    • 1/4 tsp salt
    • 1.5 cups mashed bananas
    • 1/3 cup refined coconut oil
    • 1 tsp vanilla extract
    • 1/4 cup oat milk

    Toppings

    • 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
    • 1/4 cup walnuts optional
    • 1 banana optional

    Instructions

    • Preheat baking oven at 180C.
    • Sift flour and sugar together. Combine other dry ingredients: baking powder and salt.
    • Mash bananas in a separate, bigger bowl and add coconut oil, vanilla extract.
    • Mix the flour mixture and fold in (do not overmix!). If the mixture is too thick, add more milk until you get a less thick but gummy, stretchy consistency.
    • Pour into loaf pan and top with walnuts, bananas or dark chocolate chips. Bake for about 50 minutes – 1 hour and let cool for 20 minutes.

    Notes

    1. There is not gluten free option for this recipe so far. However, for a healthier option, you can sub self-raising flour for wholemeal flour. Add 1 tsp baking soda to the dry ingredients in this case. 
    2. You can use most plant milks as a substitute for oat milk. 
    3. Make sure to use REFINED coconut oil! It removes the strong coconut smell and gives you a nice smelling banana bread.