I have seen a lot of people commenting on different articles that pressing tofu is not that important, however, I would have to disagree with that. Even you buy extra-firm tofu, it would hold it’s shape but it would still have some of that moisture. When you get rid of excess liquid you allow tofu to absorb more flavors of your dish as well as creating a nice crispy texture around it (almost like a sponge effect). So if you are cooking a tasty stir-fry, marinating your tofu or simply deep-frying it, then it is better to press tofu.
Pressing firm and extra-firm tofu
The easiest method to would be to create a compress and apply pressure on your tofu block. Simply take a few paper towels, they can absorb the liquid quite well.
- Fold the kitchen towels to fit the tofu block.
- Place 2-3 paper towels on a flat surface and put your tofu on top.
- On top of the tofu place another 3 towels.
- To apply pressure more consistently I recommend placing a chopping board on top of the towels and you can put a bowl or a small pot of water on top.
- Leave your tofu in this position 30 minutes.
- Once you take it the tofu out, pat it dry around the edges and you are done!
And if you don’t have those paper kitchen towels or simply forgot to buy them, then you can try using a simple tea towel, just wrap around the tofu.