General Tso’s Tofu

Ingredients

• 1 block (16 oz / 450 g) extra firm tofu
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup ((or other syrup, or sugar))
• 1/3 cup water
• 2 tablespoons Chinkiang vinegar
• 2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine ((or dry sherry))
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 6 tablespoons cornstarch ((or enough to coat the tofu))
• 3 tablespoons peanut oil ((or vegetable oil))
• 1 batch broccoli rabe (or 1 big head broccoli) (, cut into bite size pieces (yields about 4 cups once cut))
• 1 tablespoon minced ginger
• 4 cloves garlic (, minced)
• 4 green onions (, roughly chopped)
• 2 dried Chinese chili peppers ((Optional))

Steps

1. 1

   Pat tofu dry with paper towels. Cut into 1/2” (1 cm) pieces and transfer into a large ziploc bag. Add soy sauce and maple syrup. Gently flip the bag a few times to coat tofu with the liquid. Marinate for 10 to 15 minutes while preparing other ingredients.

2. 2

   Mix all the ingredients in a medium-sized bowl. If you’re using pre-made General Tso’s Sauce, shake the sauce to make the cornstarch dissolve completely, then pour 1/3 cup of the sauce into a bowl, add 1/3 cup of stock, and mix well.

3. 3

   Once the tofu is marinated, open the bag just a little bit without letting the tofu fall out. Drain and discard all the liquid. Add the cornstarch, a tablespoon at a time, then gently toss the bag to coat the tofu. It is OK if the tofu doesn’t get coated evenly.

4. 4

   If using broccoli, add 1/4 cup water to a large pan and heat over medium-high heat until simmering. Add the broccoli. Cook covered for 1 minute, or until al dente. Transfer the broccoli to a plate. Wipe the pan clean with paper towels.

5. 5

   Add 2 tablespoons of oil into the pan. Add the tofu with your hand: shake off the extra cornstarch and lay it into the pan without overlapping. Let cook without moving for 2 minutes, or until the bottom turns golden. Flip to brown the other side, 2 minutes or so. If the pan gets too hot, turn to medium or medium-low heat. You can keep browning the other sides of the tofu if you prefer. Transfer the cooked tofu to a plate and set it aside.

6. 6

   Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil, ginger, garlic, green onion, and dried red chilies (if using). Stir a few times to release the fragrance.

7. 7

   If using broccoli rabe, add it to the pan. Cook and stir until wilted. If using broccoli, add the cooked broccoli back into the pan.

8. 8

   Stir the sauce again to dissolve the cornstarch completely. Pour it into the pan. Cook and stir until the sauce thickens and coats all the ingredients.

9. 9

   Add the tofu back into the pan. Gently toss it to coat it with the sauce. Transfer everything to a large serving plate. Serve hot as a main dish.