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one green planet

Presenting: the katsu banh mi. Katsu is Japanese for "cutlet" and it's the centerpiece in this sandwich. Tofu is dredged in panko and then air fried (or baked) to crispy perfection. Then, it's served on a roll with pickles, tonkatsu aioli, fresh herbs, and spicy jalapeños. Most components can be made up to three days ahead of time, so you can prep during the week and then indulge in this awesome monster of a sandwich.

Katsu Banh Mi: Crispy Tofu Cutlet Sandwich [Vegan]

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Serves

4

Ingredients

For the Aioli:

For the Pickles:

  • 1/4 cup hot water
  • 1 tablespoon coarse sugar or 2 1/2 teaspoons granulated sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/4 cup rice vinegar
  • 1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded and sliced

For the Tofu:

  • 1 14-ounce package firm tofu, pressed for 1 hour
  • 2 cups water
  • 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried sage

For the Katsu:

  • 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 6 tablespoons aquafaba (liquid from a can of chickpeas) or non-dairy milk
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour or cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 1 teaspoon finely grated ginger

For the Sandwich:

  • 4 hoagie or banh mi rolls
  • Slices of jalapeño
  • Cilantro or basil

Preparation

To Make the Aioli:

  1. Combine the mayonnaise, ketchup, Worcestershirershire, and sugar in a small bowl. Mix well and set aside. If using tofu, blend well in a small blender.

To Make the Pickles:

  1. Add the hot water to a small bowl. Stir in the sugar and salt and mix to dissolve. Add the vinegar and cucumbers and stir to mix. Press the cucumbers down into the brine. Set aside for an hour or 3 days.

To Make the Tofu:

  1. Cut the tofu into 1/2-inch slices the long way (so that you have long thin slices of tofu). Heat the water, yeast, parsley, salt, thyme, and sage in a medium pot over medium heat.
  2. Bring to boil and add the tofu. Simmer for 10 minutes and set aside for at least an hour or up to 3 days.

To Make the Katsu:

  1. Combine the panko with salt and black pepper, to taste, in a shallow bowl and set aside.
  2. Combine the aquafaba, flour, garlic and ginger in a shallow bowl. Mix well.
  3. Dredge the tofu in the liquid mixture and then dredge in the panko. Spray with oil and add to the air fryer (or oven, preheated to 375°F. Set the air fryer to 390°F and cook for 15 minutes, or until golden and crisp.

To Make the Sandwiches:

  1. Toast the bread, spreading with the tonkatsu aioli, adding a tofu to cover the roll, adding the cucumbers (drained), jalapeños, and herbs. Serve.


About The Author

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Zsu Dever

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Zsu Dever is the author of the cookbooks; Aquafaba, Vegan Bowls, and Everyday Vegan Eat: Family Favorites from My Kitchen to Yours. She is a vegan mother of three teenagers and three adopted kitties. She resides in San Diego, CA, where she enjoys photography, recipe development, nature, and blogging at Zsu's Vegan Pantry.

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