Tofu is a versatile vegetarian protein that can take on a huge variety of textures, from soft and silky to crispy and crunchy. If you like your tofu crispy, you need to draw out some of its water content so its surface can brown properly, so consider brining it, which helps to suck out moisture and creates crispier tofu when fried.

To make a tofu brine, simply add one-fourth cup of salt to a pot of water and bring it to a boil on the stove, remove it from the heat, then add tofu that's been sliced into planks and let it soak for 15 minutes. Allow it to drain on paper towels for another 15 minutes and your tofu will be more than ready to crisp up in a hot pan of oil.

You can even freeze your tofu before adding it to the hot brine to strengthen its structural integrity and make it even firmer. Besides salt water, you can also brine your tofu in pickle juice, red rice yeast, sesame oil and chili flakes, oolong tea leaves, or just a simple mixture of water and garlic powder, onion powder, sugar, and salt.