Japanese Recipes Meet Vegan Recipes, In This Crispy

Tofu Katsu Bento Box

Fond of Japanese recipes, especially bento boxes, but love plant-based foods? Then this vegan bento box is something you will love, with crunchy, savoury, fresh, and sweet elements packed into one neat box. The star of this vegan bento box is the panko-coated tofu katsu, made by pressing firm tofu into cutlets, breading them, and frying or air-frying them, then pairing them with steamed rice and a handful of no-cook sides like cherry tomatoes, cucumber, and edamame. The three-bowl breading method for the tofu cutlets gives them their signature crunch. The first bowl holds flour seasoned with salt, pepper, chilli flakes, and garlic powder; the second holds unsweetened plant milk; and the third holds panko breadcrumbs. Each tofu slab is dipped through the bowls in that exact order: flour first to help the wet coating stick, then plant milk, then a generous press into the panko, which is what gives the katsu its crispy texture rather than a smooth, thin crust. This might be one of the simplest vegan recipes and also a Japanese recipe, and if you are working out how to make the katsu’s crust that stays crunchy, frying is the more reliable route, but air-frying at 200°C for about 15 minutes, flipping halfway, gets close results with far less oil. Short-grain rice is the classic pairing, though brown rice or quinoa works just as well, with a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds over the rice. Cherry tomatoes, cucumber, and edamame round out the box without needing any cooking.