Sweet and Sour Tofu

Sweet and Sour Tofu has many iterations but this simple recipe can be a standby for lighter vegan fare. It has a pop with the tart and sweet made-from-scratch sauce. It can be enjoyed as an appetizer or with some added veggies and noodles or rice becomes a complete meal.

What do I need for sweet and sour tofu?

The beauty of this dish is that it is so simple with few ingredients. This recipe can be used to make any number of other dishes also with some recommendations below.

• Tofu. We recommend using a firm or semi firm tofu here. It keeps the shape better and tends to turn out a crispier product than using soft or silken which can be a bit flabby even with frying. Make sure not to dice the pieces too large so that it gets more flavor and fries evenly.
• Pineapple- makes a great sweet and sour main component, due to the fact that on its own it is already sweet and sour and has a great sugar balance. We use frozen pieces here which are easy to portion. You can always use fresh of course.
• Ground coriander and star anise. These are completely optional but give a more complex background note to the sauce. The anise helps with a type of licorice candy aroma. The break down the pure citrus notes of orange and pineapple. The end result is similar to a duck sauce type glaze.
• Cornstarch. Gives a light, airy, crispy (and gluten free) product without retaining as much oil as a flour based breading. It also gives viscosity to the sauce without weighing it down.
• Vinegar. Gives a punch to help balance sugars and the back of the tongue zap needed.

Other options for this recipe:

With this procedure and sauce you can add other proteins. Here are a few examples:

• Substitute pork tenderloin for the tofu for a rich meaty meal.
• Use shrimp in place of, or in addition to the tofu.
• Try chicken breast or thigh meat (boneless) as a compliment.
• Add steamed rice to soak up the sauce.
• Add stir fried vegetables such as broccoli, asparagus, or mushrooms for a full entree.
• Add some chopped herbs to garnish such as basil, cilantro, or mint.
• Garnish with toasted nuts, such as cashews, peanuts, or macadamia nuts.

Sweet and Sour Tofu

Sweet and Sour Tofu Makes a great app or center of the plate for stir fry!

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Course Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine American, Chinese, gluten free

Servings 4 people

Calories 796 kcal

Equipment

1 small sauce pan

1 Non stick pan or wok optional

1 whisk

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 14 ounces Firm tofu Cut into cubes about 3/4 inches, and patted dry with a paper towel.
• 1 cup Cornstarch amount will vary, but enough to coat the tofu while remaining dry
• .5 tsp Sea salt
• .5 tsp Black pepper ground
• 1 tbsp Scallion chopped, for garnish
• 1 tsp Sesame seeds for garnish

For making the sauce

• .75 cups Water
• .5 cups White vinegar
• .25 cups Rice Vinegar
• 4 tbsp Sugar
• .25 tsp Ground coriander
• 1 each Star anise
• 2 tbsp Cornstarch
• .5 tsp Sea salt
• 1 each Mandarin Orange
• 1 cup Pineapple frozen or fresh pineapple, chopped by hand or in food processor into small pieces

For Pan Frying

• 1 cup Canola oil this amount will vary depending on the size of the pan. It does not need to cover the blocks of tofu, just enough to fry. There should be some leftover.

Instructions

 

• Prep the ingredients. Pat the blocks of tofu dry. Mince the pineapple.
  
• On a pan or plate, season the tofu with salt and pepper. This is very important as the tofu will be very bland with no seasoning. Sprinkle liberally with cornstarch to coat. If it appears that it is "wet", add more until a dry coating is seen.
  
• Bring to a simmer in a small sauce pan the water, vinegars, pineapple, sugar, anise, and coriander. Squeeze in the orange and allow to cook for about 5 minutes over low heat.
  
• In a small cup or bowl, mix the cornstarch with just a touch of water until a very thick paste forms resembling white glue. While whisking over a simmer, slowly drizzle the mixture into the simmering sauce. It should immediately thicken. Cook for about 15 seconds, then remove from heat and reserve.
  
• In a skillet bring the oil to heat at 350 degrees if possible. If not using a thermometer, test one piece before adding everything to make sure it is hot enough. The oil should be enough to come up halfway on the blocks of tofu. Fry for about 2 minutes on the first side, then using tongs gently flip to fry the other side for an additional two minutes. Gently remove using tongs onto a plate lined with paper towels to drain any excess fat.
  
• Serve with toothpicks for an appetizer and garnish with scallions and sesame. Or glaze together with steamed veggies and rice for a delicious stir fry! Bon appetit!
  

Notes

Note:

This recipe includes enough ingredients for making enough sauce to glaze the tofu and use as the basis for a stir fry. Alternatively you can use it on the side as a dipping sauce while the tofu remains crunchy. In this case the leftover sauce will last about one week if cooled and stored properly in the refrigerator.

The amount of oil used for frying is calculated into the nutrition facts and as such will vary the values. Remember that not all the oil will be consumed so this data will vary.

Nutrition

Serving: 4ozCalories: 796kcalCarbohydrates: 53gProtein: 9gFat: 61gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 19gMonounsaturated Fat: 37gTrans Fat: 0.2gSodium: 593mgPotassium: 63mgFiber: 2gSugar: 16gVitamin A: 43IUVitamin C: 20mgCalcium: 144mgIron: 2mg

Keyword gluten free, stir fry, sweet and sour, tofu, vegan

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