Keep tofu from breaking up in a stir fry

Ever tried making a Chinese takeout style stir fry at home and ended up with a bunch of overcooked vegetables covered in tiny bits of broken tofu? Well, I can’t help you with the veg today, but there’s an easy way to keep that tofu from breaking up.

If you have access to a deep fat fryer, toss the tofu in a bit of cornstarch (either dry, or mixed with your marinade) and deep fry briefly until the outside is firm to the touch.

Alternately, for a more authentic way, wrap the block of tofu in a clean kitchen towel or piece of cheesecloth, put it in something with edges or a rim to catch the liquid, and set a can, book, or something else heavy ontop [not, TOO heavy, you'll break it]. The moisture will be pressed out, and the tofu will firm up, and also be able to absorb more flavours from the dish.