General Tso's Tofu
This General Tso's Tofu is everything you'd want in a vegetarian version of General Tso's Chicken. The tofu is crispy and the sauce is sweet, tangy, and spicy. Perfect with some egg fried rice or Chinese garlic green beans!
- Prep time
- 10 min
- Cook time
- 10 min
- Yield
- 2 servings
- Difficulty
- MEDIUM
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 14 ounces tofu (firm, medium, or soft (usually 1 block))
- ¾ cup cornstarch (or as much as needed)
- Oil (any neutral oil, as needed for frying and cooking)
- ¼ cup ketchup
- ¼ cup water
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1½ tablespoons white vinegar
- 1½ teaspoon soy sauce
- 1½ teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 stalk green onion (sliced (separate the whites and greens))
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (or to your preference)
- 4 pieces whole dry chili pepper ((optional))
Instructions
- 1
Drain the tofu from its container and and pat dry as much as possible with paper towels. Then cut the tofu evenly into 1 inch cubes.*You can also press it overnight to get more moisture out, for crispier fried tofu.*
- 2
In a bowl, combine ketchup, water, sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, and cornstarch. Whisk until evenly combined and no clumps of cornstarch is visible. Set aside until needed.
- 3
Heat 1 to 2 inches of oil to 350°F and prepare a plate lined with paper towels.
- 4
Coat the tofu with cornstarch on all sides. You can do this on a plate or in a gallon resealable bag. If using the bag method, be sure to shake gently to prevent the tofu from breaking.*You want to do this as close to frying time as possible.*
- 5
Once the oil is hot, add the tofu and fry until crispy and pale gold in color, about 5 minutes. Remove the tofu and allow it to drain on some paper towels. Fry in batches if needed.*If you prefer, you can pan fry the tofu in a pan with about ½ inch of oil.*
- 6
In a large pan over medium heat, add a small amount of oil. When the oil is hot, add the whites of the green onions, pepper flakes, and whole dry peppers. Saute until fragrant. Give the prepared sauce mixture a good stir and add to the pan. Allow the sauce to cook until bubbly, glossy, and thickened. Make sure to stir often.
- 7
Once the General Tso's sauce is ready, add the crispy fried tofu. Gently toss and stir until the tofu are evenly coated with sauce.
- 8
Serve the General Tso's tofu immediately with some rice and garnish with the greens of the green onion and/or sesame seeds, if desired.