Freeze the entire block of tofu overnight. Next day, thaw block in microwave for 6-10 minutes until soft. Gently drain and press excess water from tofu with the backs of two plates.
Cut the tofu block into one-inch thick nuggets or strips. Set a non-stick pan or skillet over medium-high heat and add a bit of spray oil. Place nuggets onto the pan and cook on all sides until golden.
Once golden on all sides, pour over the vegetable stock and cook for another few minutes until the stock has been cooked off. Set aside.
Baked Nuggets
In a mixing bowl, stir together flour, salt, and baking powder. Then whisk in the water or non-dairy milk and oil until the batter is smooth and well-combined.
In a second mixing bowl, mix together panko bread crumbs, Italian bread crumbs, paprika, and garlic powder. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Roll strips into the batter until well-coated on all sides. Then, roll the nuggets into the bread crumb mixture. Arrange tofu strips onto a non-stick baking sheet and lightly spray with oil. Bake for 30 minutes, flipping halfway.
Honey Hot Sauce (Optional)
Mix together honey and hot sauce until well-combined. If too spicy and thick, mix in a touch of water.
Video
Notes
An important part of this recipe is to freeze the tofu block prior to making the nuggets. This will help create a meaty and "porous" tofu, which will help the stock penetrate and hold. Additionally, this will help create a chewier texture. Simply chuck the entire block of tofu in the freezer for at least overnight. To thaw, microwave for a few minutes until soft all the way through.
To make the stock for the tofu nuggets, I mixed ¼ cup hot or boiling water with 1 Not-Chick'n Bouillon Cube from Edward & Sons'. This will be on the saltier side since we're using less water for the bouillon cube than recommended. However, ¼ cup of a stock of your choice works too - just add more salt if need be.