omg i basically had this yesterday with ichiban yakisoba and just some salt and pepper fried tofu! been meaning to get some liquid smoke for a while now. iirc this bacon-style tempeh i tried forever ago used it and i really liked the taste π
this post was submitted on 16 Aug 2026
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If you're ok with "processed on the same machinery as non-vegan items", Indomie Mi Goreng noodles are pretty dope for a "dry" instant noodle.
I've been trying to make my tofu have a breaded consistency on the outside with no extra ingredients for so long. One of my friends did it once and I've been chasing the high ever since
Give this a whirl, it is probably my all-time favourite way to eat tofu: https://thewoksoflife.com/salt-and-pepper-tofu/
I make a huge batch every once in a while and freeze the pieces of tofu on a baking sheet before bagging them, then reheat small batches in the oven right from the freezer (high heat like 425Β°F, convection is ideal but not essential).
Woah this might be it...
Yeah, cornstarch is magic.
IDK how your friend did so without extra ingredients but I feel like dusting the tofu with cornstarch will get you there.
How do you mean "breaded consistency"? Like it had a crusty thing going on?
Yeah crispy on the outside gooey on the inside. They kinda don't know how they did it either
Nutritional yeast might help
The other suggestions in the replies to your comment would give you some pretty good results! My suggestion is that pan frying in a little bit of oil (after marinating thick slices for at least 6 hours) can give something like this. The trick is to keep the heat on medium and wait a while before you flip it, maybe 7-10 minutes, but its something you gotta get a feel for.
Damn spam tofu sounds really good. How are you feeling about the liquid smoke tho? That ingredient doesnβt pass my vibe check. Iβm not particularly strict when it comes to what I eat but the concept never sat right with me.
Liquid smoke definitely passes the sniff test cuz it smells great 
Your question actually made me look it up - it looks like the evidence is somewhat inconclusive. The FDA considers it safe, the EFSA wasn't willing to set a safe consumption level. The potential concern would be PAH compounds, and compared to smoked meats, liquid smoke has vastly less. Seems like the amount you would eat is likely fine. Here are 3 random sites I was looking at, who knows how trustworthy they are but they agreed: 1 2 3
It's incredible what a difference it makes for stews where a smoky meat contributes to the flavor in the omnivore version, e.g. red beans and rice.
Liquid smoke is absolutely the cheat code to make vegan cheese out of tofu btw. Great for macaroni
I personally love the liquid smoke. For this particular recipe, I should also note that I use regular paprika rather than smoked paprika. With that much liquid smoke being in there already, smoked paprika seems overkill to me.
Tofu is nicely browned, very nice. Looking at that tofu marinade it's very similar to my go-to: soy sauce + liquid smoke + garlic/onion powder + paprika/something spicy and you're in business. Looks dank!
Shin Greens are good! You just need to snag yourself some vegan kimchi and some green onions and that's my go to "oh fuck what do it eat for lunch today" meal
i get baby bok choi and add that to my ramen with some other mixed veggies
i also have a bunch of asian standby sauces and flavorings i add:
ginger, garlic, sesame oil, 13 spice, some hoisen sauce, rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, and garlic chili sauce