The night before cooking, press the tofu: remove it from the package and wrap in paper towels or a clean kitchen towel. Set it on a flat surface and place a cutting board on top with a few heavy books to weigh it down. Let it press for 30 minutes.

Transfer the pressed tofu to a sealed container and freeze overnight (or at least 8 hours).

When ready to cook, thaw the tofu fully. For faster results, microwave it on low in short bursts until thawed.

Once thawed, press the tofu again for another 30 minutes using the same method as before.

While the tofu is pressing, prepare the buttermilk coating: in a large bowl, stir together the soy milk and apple cider vinegar. Let sit for 5 minutes to curdle. Stir in soy sauce, hot sauce, salt, and pepper.

Place the chicken coating mix in a separate shallow bowl.

Tear the pressed tofu into large bite-sized chunks. Add them to the buttermilk mixture and let soak for at least 30 minutes (or cover and refrigerate overnight).

Heat a generous amount of vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat—there should be about ½ inch (1 cm) of oil in the pan. When the oil reaches 350°F (175°C), it’s ready.

Working in batches, remove tofu from the buttermilk mixture, let excess drip off, then coat each piece in the dry coating mix.

Add tofu to the hot oil and fry for 3–4 minutes per side or until golden and crispy all over, turning as needed.

Transfer fried tofu to a paper towel–lined plate to drain. Season with a little extra salt if desired.

Serve hot with your favorite dipping sauce or condiments.