I have a stainless steel pan which works great to fry most veggies, but I can’t manage to cook tofu, tempeh and meat alternatives in it. They just stick too much, no matter how much oil and patience I try. Then I have a non-stick pan which is kinda old and it needs to be replaced.
What do you use? I think about getting a cast iron or carbon steel pan, but I don’t know how well it will work and if it’s worth it…
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RE cleaning stuck on food, I swear by bamboo pot scrubbers for this. Cheap and last for years.
I fry tofu in a cast iron skillet with a little oil on heat just below the oil’s smoke point.
The trick is to just let the tofu sit in place. Do NOT try to flip it. Let it sit until it gets crispy on the frying side. When it does, I use a thin metal pancake-flipping sort of spatula to turn all the pieces. If they are diced (rather than slabs), I start with pieces in the center of the pan, scooping towards an edge and flipping the first flipper-full, then scooping and flipping the sides and so on so I don’t disturb the pieces I’ve already flipped.
I’ve been using cast iron for years. I’m not even sure how I’d get tofu of tempeh to stick to it.
I just use about a tablespoon on olive oil, heat it to low medium, then put whatever I’m cooking on.
Clean with soap. Leave to dry on stovetop (low heat) for about 5 minutes. If it needs more slide, reapply a tiny bit of oil and smear it around into a thin layer. Turn off the element when it starts smoking.
That’s all there is to it.
debuyer makes some lighter carbon steel pans that are easier on your wrists compared to cast iron tanks ☞ https://www.debuyer.com/fr/454-cuisson-acier
we use stainless, carbon and cast iron. Don’t torture yourself with cast iron unless you want a workout too while cooking.
