Crispy Orange Tofu
Inspired by one of my guilty pleasures, Panda Express’ orange chicken, this recipe is definitely one to add to the books. The crispy tofu is a must-have for my plant based friends, and the orange glaze elevates the tofu to another level *chef’s kiss*. This crispy orange tofu is best served with jasmine rice and broccoli. Happy cooking!
Cook Time: 1 hour - 1 hour 30 minutes
Serves 2-3
Fried Tofu Ingredients:
1 block extra firm tofu
Liquid aminos
Cornstarch
Vegetable oil or preferred frying oil
Orange Sauce Ingredients:
Crushed red pepper
2 ¼ tsp ginger, grated
2 ¼ tsp garlic, grated
¼ c freshly squeezed orange juice
¼ c white vinegar
2 tbsp soy sauce
¼ c brown sugar
¼ c white sugar
1 tbsp cornstarch
Green onions, sliced (for garnish)
Prep and Marinate Tofu- Begin by draining water from tofu and gently pressing excess water from tofu block with paper towels. Next, cut tofu into one-inch cubes. Place tofu in a bowl and add enough liquid aminos to coat all tofu blocks. Place into a zip-loc bag and marinate for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Dredge Tofu- Once tofu is done marinating, remove from fridge and drain excess liquid aminos. Next, add enough cornstarch to coat the tofu to the bag and shake, ensuring that all tofu is coated.
Fry Tofu- Next, fill ⅓ of the pan with frying oil. Once the pan is hot, add tofu to oil (Be sure not to over crowd the pan) and fry for about 3-4 minutes on each side, until golden brown. Once tofu is fried, drain on to a paper towel lined plate.
Make the Sauce- To make the sauce, remove most oil from pan, leaving enough to saute garlic and ginger. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Begin by adding crushed red pepper flakes to pan. Then, add ginger and garlic and saute for about 2 minutes, until fragrant. Next, Add orange juice, brown sugar, and white sugar. Whisk ingredients and allow to simmer for about a minute, whisking when necessary. Once simmering, whisk in vinegar and soy sauce and let simmer for another minute. Add cornstarch and whisk until sauce thickens.
Coat Tofu and Serve- Finally, add fried tofu to pan and coat with sauce. Garnish with green onions and serve!
How to prep and fry tofu:
