General Tso's Tofu
This is our plant-based take on the classic Chinese takeaway dish, General Tso's Chicken. It's named after Qing dynasty statesman and military leader, Tso Tsung-t'ang, though no one knows why as it seems unlikely that he ever tasted the dish, which is a shame because it's delicious! Crispy, sticky and sweet, this is tofu at its finest. For an extra nutty flavour, you could toast the sesame seeds briefly in a dry pan before sprinkling over the dish. This recipe is super budget-friendly as it's from our latest book BOSH! On A Budget.
Serves
Ingredients
For the tofu
<item-todo-done>3 tbsp soy sauce or tamari<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>1 tbsp apple cider vinegar<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>4 tbsp cornflour<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>4 tbsp vegetable oil<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>1 x 280g block of firm tofu<item-todo-done>
For the jasmine rice
<item-todo-done>1 tsp fine sea salt<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>150g Jasmine rice<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>300ml cold water<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>1 Jasmine tea bag - or jasmine flower<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>1 star anise<item-todo-done>
For the sauce
<item-todo-done>1 tbsp cornflour<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>2 tbsp apple cider vinegar<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>2 tbsp soy sauce or tamari<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>1 tbsp Chinese rice vinegar<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>4 garlic cloves<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>2 tbsp cane sugar - or coconut or brown sugar<item-todo-done>
To serve
<item-todo-done>1 tbsp sesame seeds<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>1 tsp dried Szechuan Chillies - or chilli flakes<item-todo-done><item-todo-done> chives garnish<item-todo-done>
Before you start
Non-stick frying pan | Medium saucepan with a lid | Plate lined with kitchen paper
Marinate the tofu
- Cut the tofu into 2cm cubes and put it in a bowl with the soy sauce and apple cider vinegar
- Toss to coat
- Set aside for 10 minutes
Meanwhile, make the jasmine rice
- Rinse the rice under cold water for 1 minute
- Tip into the saucepan and pour over the water
- Add the tea bag or jasmine flower, star anise and salt
- Cover and bring to the boil
- Turn the heat down to the lowest setting and leave covered for about 12 minutes while you fry the tofu
Fry the tofu
- Drain the tofu, setting the marinade aside for the sauce
- Put the tofu in a clean bowl with the cornflour and toss to coat
- Place the frying pan over a medium-high heat and add the vegetable oil
- Fry the cubes in the hot oil until golden brown, then transfer to the plate lined with kitchen paper
- Turn off the heat and leave the hot oil in the pan
Make the sauce
- Peel and finely slice the garlic and add it to the tofu oil in the pan (it should sizzle and start to go brown)
- Measure all the other sauce ingredients into a bowl
- Pour in the leftover marinade
- Whisk until smooth
- Spoon a couple of large spoonfuls of starchy water from the top of the rice pan into the bowl
- Turn the heat on to medium and pour in the sauce
- Stir until it starts to thicken
- Toss in the tofu and stir to coat
Serve
- Fluff up the cooked rice with a fork and spoon it into bowls
- Top with the tofu
- Sprinkle over the sesame seeds and dried Szechuan chillies or chilli flakes, snip over the chives and serve