Tofu Prep

1. The most important step in this recipe is straining the tofu. Get as much of the water from it as possible. So while your tofu is straining, there are a couple of quick prep things to do.
2. Firstly, preheat your oven to about 180C/350F. Get three pasta bowls from your cupboard. Pasta bowls work well as they are wide-brimmed. Next, get out all of your ingredients such as herbs and spices and flours and set them near the bowls. Move on to the next step.
3. Your tofu should now be drained.
   Slice the tofu into approx 1/2 cm slices. You can get about 8 from the 280g tofu. It is quite firm and easy to slice.
4. Now in a bowl dissolve one veg stock cube in 14 cup of hot water. Add in a tbsp of cornflour, 1 tsp salt, some black pepper 1/2 tsp garlic granules, and 1/2 tsp onion granules and mix together. Using a pastry brush, coat the sliced tofu on both sides with this mix, put it on a lined baking tray and pop it in the oven. Cook for about 15 minutes. This step helps tofu absorb some flavour and further dries it out to improve the texture.

The Crumb Coat

1. While Tofu is in the oven, prepare your other two bowls.
   Put the ¼ cup of the gram flour, ¼ tsp salt, ½ tsp garlic granules, tsp onion granules, and paprika into one of your bowls. Blend in the half cup of plant milk and leave to one side. The mixture should be a runny batter. This is your 'egg' mix.
2. In another bowl add your breadcrumbs, the remainder of the cornflour, and the remainder of the seasoning, salt, onion and garlic granules, maarjoram, thyme, rosemary and black pepper. 
3. Remove the tofu from the oven.
4. Get out a large plate to place your coated tofu on.
   Also, add 1 tbsp oil to a large pan and put on a low heat with the garlic cloves.
   While your pan is heating up, time to coat the tofu.
   I promise you, this recipe is worth the bit of effort. Keep your oven on and warming up as the crumbed tofu will be going back in soon!
5. Now get your first slice of tofu, dip into the 'gram flour and plant milk' mix, then drop it onto the bed of breadcrumbs. Make sure its coated on both sides, place it on your plate and repeat this step with the rest of the tofu.
6. Using a slotted spoon, remove the garlic from the pan as you don't want it to burn. Place on a small bowl to one side.

The Cooking

1. Turn up the heat on your pan and place about four slices of tofu in the pan at a time. Cook on each side until a nice golden brown. This step usually takes 2 minutes on each side.
2. Once cooked. This is important now. Wrap the four cooked slices of tofu in some tinfoil, with a clove of garlic from the pan. Place into the oven.
3. Repeat the last step for the rest of the tofu.
   You should now have two neat packets of foiled tofu, finishing off in the oven.
   The frying should take about 15 minutes in total for 8 slices of tofu.
   Oven bake to absorb flavour from oil and garlic for another ten to fifteen minutes max.
4. And that it is. By the time you have your Tofu prepped and ready your potatoes and veg and gravy should also be ready.
   So to reiterate tofu takes about five minutes to press, 15 minutes to dry out in the oven.
   Get potatoes and veg and start making your gravy at this point.
   It shoudl take about 5 miutes to crumb coat. 5 minutes to fry 2 batches, then wrap in foil and pop in the oven while you finish your cooking. (ten minutes.)