British-Style Fish N Chips (Vegetarian)

Time

prep 0:30       total 2:00

Yield

2 to 4 servings

Ingredients

Ingredients

1 lb. firm tofu *
1 bottle malt vinegar
1 cup flour
1 cup bitter or
stout beer
1 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. salt, or
to taste
1/4 tsp. pepper, or
to taste
2 cups peanut oil or
Crisco for deep-frying
Frozen potato chips or
3 potatoes cut into finger shapes

Instructions

Drain the tofu and then press it between two cutting boards with weight on top (books, plates, etc.) Let it squeeze for an hour or so, then place the tofu into a bowl of malt vinegar and place it in the fridge. You don't really need to cover the tofu with the malt vinegar, but the more the better. Let it marinade for as long as you can, preferably overnight.

To make the beer batter, simply mix the equal amounts of flour and beer along with the spices.

Heat the oil in a fry pan or wok to medium high. Cook your chips and place them in a warm oven.

While the chips are cooking take the marinated tofu out of the fridge and pat it dry. Cut the tofu lengthwise into bars that resemble fish sticks. Dunk the tofu bars into the batter and then place them in the hot oil one by one. Be sure they're coated thoroughly with the batter. You can even drizzle a little more batter on them as they fry. Deep-fry them until the batter turns a nice golden brown. Be careful to not let them stick together. Remove with tongs and place on paper towels.

Serve right away with chips and more malt vinegar.

Author's Comments

If you plan ahead, freeze and then thaw the tofu for a firmer texture.

Pressing the tofu between cutting boards helps remove excess moisture so that it will soak up more of the malt vinegar.

Be sure NOT to use the kind of tofu that comes in the hermetically sealed foil packs that resemble juice boxes, as it is too soft (even the kind.)

* NOT the silken kind

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9 Recipe Reviews

savidgerl

savidgerl reviewed British-Style Fish N Chips (Vegetarian) on February 18, 2002

Forget the tofu, use fillets of cod or haddock. Southerners prefer cod, northerners the latter. Do not forget the mushy peas and the pickled eggs.

Steve Morgan - England

Steve Morgan - England reviewed British-Style Fish N Chips (Vegetarian) on August 31, 2002

This is just not Fish n Chips, someone out there is very misguided and where the British style comes from, I do not know ! Batter is egg, flour & water. Use a nice thick cod fillet, roll it in seasoned flour before dipping in the batter. Deep fry in hot oil and serve immediately with salt and malt vinegar.

red

red reviewed British-Style Fish N Chips (Vegetarian) on August 13, 2003

the whole point of fish & chips is the fish! tofu? nice, but would be laughed out of town over here!! It has to be a nice thick cod fillet every time for me :)

Mike Mor

Mike Mor reviewed British-Style Fish N Chips (Vegetarian) on February 20, 2004

Fish & Chips! What is this tofo crap! make it with haddock.

ST.George

ST.George reviewed British-Style Fish N Chips (Vegetarian) on March 17, 2004

Can I remind the author that Tofu is not available from the local fishmonger. I agree that good old COD is best. A beer batter is fine as long as it's made with the finest bitter, fresh yeast and plain flour.
Good eating

Claudia Mitchell

Claudia Mitchell reviewed British-Style Fish N Chips (Vegetarian) on April 1, 2004

TOFU!!!!! NEVER!

Mark

Mark reviewed British-Style Fish N Chips (Vegetarian) on April 11, 2004

This was delicious. As a vegan, and not some earth raping monster, I'm glad you included the tofu notes in your recipe. Excellent work.

fendove

Would the people suggesting replacing the tofu with cod, please, get a life, or a clue, or (preferably) both.

This recipe has great tips on preparing the tofu. I do wonder how large you could leave the slices of tofu...

I

shan

shan reviewed British-Style Fish N Chips (Vegetarian) on February 3, 2010

Um ya, the whole point in this recipe was to replace the cod with something else. No one cares that you people don't like that idea, the review is for the people that used the recipes, not your idiotic opinion. I think the recipe is great.