4wholedried red chilies(or use ¼ to ½ teaspoon red chili flakes)
½cup scallions
6tablespooncorn starch
1 tablespoon gingerminced
2teaspoongarlicminced
1tablespoondark soy sauce
1 ½teaspoon red chili sauce (adjust as per taste preference)
1tablespoonlight soy sauce
1tablespoonhoisin sauce(vegan)
2teaspoonapple cider vinegar
1tablespoonrice-wine vinegar (or use apple cider vinegar)
1 ½teaspoon brown sugar(or white granular sugar)
½ cupvegetable stock(add more stock if needed to get desired consistency of sauce)
For garnish
ÂĽcupgreen onions
2 teaspoonsesame seeds
Instructions
To make the sauce, whisk garlic, ginger, red chili sauce, hoisin sauce, dark soy sauce, rice wine, brown sugar in a bowl.
If using block tofu, make sure to use extra-firm tofu. Cut into 1” cubes. Put tofu in zip lock bag.
Pour rice wine vinegar, light soy sauce into the bag, lock the bag and gently shake well to coat tofu pieces in the sauce. Let it rest for 10 minutes, preferably overnight.
Drain out excess sauce into another bowl. Do not waste this. We can add this sauce back into the stir fry sauce while cooking.
Add corn starch, and coat tofu pieces well in the starch. Toss well until all tofu cubes are coated well in corn starch.
Heat oil in a pan. Sesame oil, peanut oil, canola oil are the best choices for stir fry. Use one of them.
Into the hot oil, add tofu pieces and fry until golden brown. Turn over tofu and fry until golden brown on all sides. Do not crowd the pan. Layer tofu in single layer. Do in batches if you have to.
Remove fried tofu onto a plate.
Pour off some of the oil from the pan (if too much is left over). Add dried red chilies.
Pour in the prepared sauce. Stir constantly and cook for a minute or two. Pour the left over sauce from the tofu marinade as well.
Stir in scallions. Cook for 30 seconds.
Add in fried golden brown tofu cubes. Toss until every tofu piece is covered evenly in the sauce. Cook on simmer for a few minutes, coat tofu well in the sauce.
Note: is sauce thickens adjust the consistency by adding one or two tablespoons of vegetable stock or as required. You need to have thick pourable consistency of the sauce and have enough sauce to serve it with rice.
Remove the pan from heat.
Serve this slightly sweet, slightly spicy, slightly salty, slightly crunchy General Tso Tofu over jasmine rice (or quinoa for lighter healthy option) garnished with green onions, sesame seeds.
Video
Notes
Tofu - you must use extra-firm tofu to make this General Tso tofu.Crispy tofu - fry the tofu in small batches and fry until golden brown. Make it spicy- you can make it spicy if you want by adding ½ teaspoon of paprika to the sauce or increasing red chili flakes.Enough sauce - is sauce thickens adjust the consistency by adding one or two tablespoons of vegetable stock or as required. You need to have thick pourable consistency of the sauce and have enough sauce to serve it with rice. Nutritional Info – Please keep in mind that nutritional information provided is only a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on the products used.