Pomegranate, Silan, and Lemon Tofu "Chicken"

Ever since I discovered this brilliant trick, I think I've fallen in love with tofu all over again.

Suddenly the texture becomes much more precise—the tofu actually has flavor and a real bite to it!

This allows us to create a festive dish that looks and feels like chicken in a tangy pomegranate, silan (date syrup), and lemon sauce, perfect for holiday tables or Friday night dinners.

What's the trick?

The trick is to freeze the tofu and then thaw it.

Yes, that's it.

The reason: when you freeze tofu, its texture changes. During the thawing process, more liquid drains out, which allows more of the sauces to penetrate deep into the tofu.

In this recipe, I decided to use silken tofu rather than the standard firm tofu.

The reason is that freezing and thawing silken tofu stabilizes it and makes it much easier to work with, while still maintaining a soft and pleasant texture.

The Vegan Shred Challenge

A bit about Pomegranate, Silan, and Lemon "Chicken"

As mentioned, I used soft silken tofu that I froze for this recipe. You can, of course, use regular frozen firm tofu.

Freezing isn't mandatory and you can use fresh tofu, but the texture will be less exciting. It's up to you.

To make the tofu burst with flavor, I coated it in a thin layer of cornstarch. You can swap this for all-purpose flour or another starch like tapioca.

I created a festive sauce perfect for Rosh Hashanah. You can adjust the ingredients or quantities to your taste (though I can't take responsibility for the results!).

To balance the flavors perfectly, I used dark soy sauce (regular works too), a bit of silan for sweetness, pomegranate molasses (for that festive touch), and a bit of lemon for a citrusy boost.

Nutritional Values:

One serving out of 2 (215g per serving)

Contains:

• 385 calories
• 30g protein
• 28g carbohydrates
• 17g fat

Pomegranate, Silan, and Lemon "Chicken"

Prep time 5 minutes

Cook time 20 minutes

Servings 2 servings

Calories 385 kcal

Ingredients

• 340 g silken tofu frozen
• 20 g cornstarch 2 tbsp
• 20 ml soy sauce 2-3 tbsp
• 20 ml silan (date syrup) 2-3 tbsp
• 10 ml pomegranate molasses 1 tbsp
• 1 garlic clove, minced

Instructions

1. Thaw the silken tofu completely on the counter or in the microwave.

2. Preheat oven to medium heat (180°C).

3. Remove the tofu from the package and drain away all the excess liquids.

4. Using your hands, tear the tofu into large pieces—think "tofu chunks."

5. Don't worry if the tofu crumbles a little.

6. Gently squeeze each piece of tofu with your hand to drain even more liquid before placing it in a dry bowl.

7. If there are small crumbs, you can gather them and press them firmly together in your hand to form a solid piece.

8. In the dry bowl, add the cornstarch and mix well until each tofu piece is evenly coated.

9. Place the tofu on a baking sheet and bake for about 20 minutes until the tofu browns and becomes crispy.

Preparing the Sauce

1. In a pan, combine all sauce ingredients: soy sauce, silan, garlic, and pomegranate molasses. Mix well and bring to a boil.

2. Add the baked tofu pieces to the pan and toss until all the sauce is absorbed into the tofu.

3. Transfer to a serving plate.

4. Garnish with a few pomegranate seeds and serve over rice.