I call this recipe the Tofu Hater Crusher.
Golden crispy tofu chunks glazed in a sweet, spicy, and sticky orange sauce will win over anyone who ever thought tofu is bland!
This orange tofu is inspired by a widely beloved Chinese dish, orange chicken. The delicate texture and mild flavor of tofu make it a perfect alternative to chicken. And the orange sauce is already vegan by its nature, however, I put a little personal twist to it!
To amp up the sweet-spicy flavor, I added a little Gochujang to the sauce, which is the Korean fermented chili paste. Gochujang has a rich, umami, sweet and spicy taste, paired with the Chinese orange sauce it’s really a fusion begging to happen.
Vegan Orange Tofu
Better than any Chinese takeout! This orange tofu is easy to make and oh so satisfying… Vibrant, sweet and sour, full of flavors and plant protein. Make sure you have enough fluffy steamy rice to soak up all that yummy sauce!
Ingredients
Method
- Drain and wrap the tofu block in some paper towel, gently press to release excess water, cut into about 3/4 inch cubes;
- Toss the tofu cubes in a flat plate with the arrowroot powder or cornstarch, evenly coat each cube;
- Heat a large drizzle of oil in a nonstick frying pan over medium-high, pan-fry the tofu till all sides are golden crispy, about 3 – 4 minutes per side, remove from the pan and set aside;
- Zest 1 orange, only the colored part not the white part, add zest to a mixing cup;
- Squeeze the 1 and 1/2 orange for juice into the same cup;
- Add all the rest of the sauce ingredients and whisk till smooth and well combined;
- In the same frying pan, heat another small drizzle of oil, sauté the garlic and scallions till aromatic;
- Slowly pour in the sauce, turn down the heat to medium, stir and bring the mixture to a gentle boil;
- Transfer all the fried tofu into the pan, stir and toss to coat, continue to stir as the sauce thickens, remove from the heat when you reach preferred sauce consistency;
- Serve with steamed white rice, choice of veggies, and sprinkle of sesame seeds and more scallions. Enjoy!
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