Kung Pao Tofu is a scrumptious vegetarian tackle one among China’s most well-known stir-fry dishes, Kung Pao Rooster (宫保鸡丁). Originating from Sichuan delicacies, kung pao dishes are identified for his or her signature candy, bitter, salty, and spicy stability, paired with the smoky dried chili peppers and zesty numbing Sichuan peppercorns.

Whereas hen is the basic protein in the case of kung pao dishes, tofu is a typical variation. Tofu has lengthy been a staple in Chinese language kitchens, not as a “meat alternative,” however as a flexible ingredient with its personal character. For instance, tofu is commonly cooked as a primary ingredient with some meat to boost the flavour, equivalent to mapo tofu and pork stuffed tofu. It’s typically added to soups for texture, equivalent to sizzling and bitter soup and West Lake beef soup.

When fried till golden, tofu develops a crisp outer layer that soaks up sauces fantastically whereas sustaining a young inside. In kung pao tofu, the cubes of tofu take in the daring sauce whereas contrasting with the crunch of peanuts and recent greens.

I all the time maintain a number of blocks of tofu within the fridge. After I don’t have time to thaw meat from the freezer or my pantry is working low, I can simply use tofu to create a primary dish because the centerpiece of my dinner desk. 

Components

• Agency tofu: Further agency tofu works as effectively.
• Tofu marinade – soy sauce, maple syrup: My favourite tofu marinade, making a wealthy taste with minimal elements.
• Cornstarch: It coats the tofu to create a crispy texture. 
• Stir fry sauce – water, Shaoxing wine, distilled vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, cornstarch: My recipe makes use of the golden ratio to create a savory, candy and tangy sauce that’s very balanced. 
• Dried chili peppers: Chinese language dealing with heaven peppers are used so as to add aroma and smokiness to the dish. Different kinds of dried chili pepper work as effectively.
• Floor Sichuan peppercorn: The important thing ingredient to present the dish a zesty numbing sensation.
• Aromatics – ginger, garlic: Contemporary aromatics are the important thing so as to add richness and perfume to the dish.
• Greens – bell pepper, scallion: Each are used so as to add texture and shade to the dish. 
• Peanuts: One other key ingredient in any kung pao dish, for a nutty style and crunchy texture.
• Chili oil: It’s used as a ending oil to layer a little bit extra spiciness and aroma onto the dish.  

My favourite method to reduce tofu

I favor to chop the tofu into 2/3” (1.5 cm) squares. It appears like a big bite-size when uncooked, however the measurement shrinks by about one fourth after cooking, leading to good bite-size items. To chop the tofu:

1. Slice the tofu into six even rectangles.
2. Work on two rectangles at a time, with the reduce aspect dealing with down. Minimize lengthwise into two items, then reduce every of these crosswise into eight squares. 

make

1. Marinate the tofu. I like to make use of a bag to marinate the tofu for an excellent end result with out utilizing an excessive amount of marinating liquid.

2. Switch the marinated tofu to a tray and mud it with cornstarch earlier than cooking. Word: it’s completely OK if the tofu is erratically coated. It ends in a fantastic texture this manner. 

3. Pan fry the tofu till golden crispy. You will want a while and endurance if you wish to brown all sides, which creates one of the best end result. For those who’re quick on time, you can too solely brown 2 to three sides, so long as there isn’t any uncooked starch seen on the floor.

4. Prepare dinner the ginger, garlic, chili pepper and Sichuan peppercorn to infuse the oil. 

5. Briefly prepare dinner the pepper and scallion, so they’re nonetheless crisp.

6. Add the sauce and blend. It should thicken in a short time.

7. Return the tofu to the pan and add the peanuts. End it up with chili oil.

serve

Serve kung pao tofu sizzling over steamed white rice for a one-bowl primary. For a full Chinese language meal, pair it with a light-weight bok choy stir-fry, garlic fried rice, or soup equivalent to spinach egg drop soup. Like its hen counterpart, kung pao tofu is equally at residence as a fast weeknight dinner or as half of a bigger unfold for entertaining.

Incessantly requested questions

Extra scrumptious tofu recipes

Kung pao tofu is a daring tasting stir-fry that captures all the things individuals love about Sichuan delicacies. Golden crispy tofu cubes take in the wealthy sauce that’s savory, candy and tangy, spiced up with chili pepper and Sichuan peppercorn. Crunchy peanuts, candy scallion, and crisp pepper add shade and texture. It’s a dish that’s as comforting as it’s thrilling, good for anybody craving the punchy flavors of basic Chinese language cooking.

Prepare dinner ModeStop your display screen from going darkish

• Minimize tofu into 2/3” (1.5 cm) cubes and switch to a big ziploc bag. Add soy sauce and maple syrup. Gently flip the bag a number of occasions to coat tofu with the liquid. Marinate for 10 to fifteen minutes.

• Combine all of the sauce elements collectively in a small bowl.

• When tofu is marinated, open the bag just a bit bit with out letting the tofu fall out. Drain the liquid and discard it. Switch the tofu to a shallow tray or a giant bowl. Add cornstarch, a tablespoon at a time, and gently toss to coat the tofu together with your hand. It’s OK if the tofu isn’t coated evenly.

• Warmth a big skillet with 2 tablespoons of oil over medium-high warmth till shimmering. Add the tofu together with your hand, shaking off any further cornstarch, spreading it into one layer with some gaps in between so the tofu items don’t stick collectively. Let prepare dinner with out transferring till the underside turns golden. Flip to brown different sides till most sides have browned and there’s no dry cornstarch on the floor (*Footnote 4). If the pan will get too sizzling, flip to medium or medium-low warmth to stop the tofu from burning. Switch cooked tofu to a plate. Put aside.

• Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, chili pepper, garlic, ginger, and Sichuan peppercorns. Stir for 20 to 30 seconds to launch the perfume.

• Add the bell pepper and inexperienced onion. Stir for 1 minute.

• Stir the sauce once more to dissolve the cornstarch utterly. Pour it into the pan. Stir a number of occasions till the sauce thickens.

• Add again the cooked tofu. Gently toss to coat with sauce. Add the peanuts and chili oil, then give it a fast stir. Instantly switch all the things to a giant plate. Serve sizzling as a primary dish by itself or with steamed rice.

Ingredient Substitution Information

1. The cornstarch quantity is kind of versatile. The extra cornstarch you employ, the thicker the tofu coating shall be. You will want to make use of extra oil to create a crispy and thick crust in that case. For those who favor to make use of much less oil, then it is best to use much less cornstarch, 3 to 4 tablespoons, for a thinner coating. Both approach will end in nice tasting tofu.
2. I shared the dish with James (he was virtually 2 years outdated on the time) so I stored the chili peppers entire to make the dish much less spicy. If you’d like a spicier dish, reduce the chili peppers in half and add them to the pan, together with the seeds.
3. I like to make use of half inexperienced bell pepper and half purple pepper for shade.
4. This course of requires a while and endurance. Browning all sides of the tofu will create one of the best end result. However if you happen to’re quick on time, it’s OK to simply brown two or three sides of the tofu. On this case, make sure that to stir and flip the tofu on the finish, so the not-so-browned sides don’t have any seen uncooked cornstarch on them. The completed tofu will style softer, however the browned sides will nonetheless have a pleasant, crispy texture.
5. To make the dish gluten-free: Use tamari to switch the soy sauce. And use dry sherry to switch the Shaoxing wine.

Serving: 1serving, Energy: 302kcal, Carbohydrates: 20.9g, Protein: 12.4g, Fats: 20.6g, Saturated Fats: 3.5g, Sodium: 534mg, Potassium: 374mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 7.3g, Calcium: 229mg, Iron: 3mg

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