Description
A delicious and crispy orange tofu recipe featuring fried tofu cubes tossed in a tangy, sweet, and slightly spicy orange sauce. Perfect served over rice and garnished with green onions and toasted sesame seeds for a flavorful vegetarian main course.
Ingredients
Scale
Base Tofu
- 1 block firm tofu, pressed
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce (or tamari)
- Pinch of salt
- Pinch of white pepper
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 3 tablespoons avocado oil, for frying
Sauce
- 2/3 cup orange juice
- 3 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon soy sauce (or tamari)
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2½ tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon orange zest (or zest of 1 small orange)
Remaining Ingredients
- 4 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger, packed
- ½ teaspoon red chili flakes
- ¼ cup warm water
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
- ¼ cup sliced green onions, for garnish (optional)
- Toasted sesame seeds, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Press the tofu: Press the tofu for 30 minutes to 1 hour to remove excess moisture. Once pressed, cut into 1-inch cubes and transfer to a large bowl.
- Prepare tofu coating: Add the soy sauce, salt, and white pepper to the tofu cubes and gently mix to coat. Sprinkle half of the cornstarch over the tofu, mix, then add the remaining cornstarch and mix again. Set aside.
- Fry the tofu: Heat avocado oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Once hot, add the tofu cubes and fry until golden brown on all sides. Remove tofu from the pan and set aside.
- Mix the sauce: In a small bowl, combine orange juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, rice vinegar, and orange zest. Stir well and set aside.
- Sauté aromatics: In the same skillet used for frying tofu, add garlic, ginger, red chili flakes, and a pinch of salt. Add more oil if necessary. Sauté over medium heat until fragrant, about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Cook the sauce: Pour in the prepared sauce and bring it to a boil.
- Thicken the sauce: Mix warm water and cornstarch in a small bowl until smooth. Whisk this slurry into the simmering sauce and cook, stirring often, until thickened, about 6 to 8 minutes.
- Combine tofu and sauce: Add the fried tofu back into the skillet along with toasted sesame oil. Stir gently until tofu is evenly coated with the thick sauce. Adjust seasoning with more salt if needed.
- Serve: Serve the crispy orange tofu over cooked Jasmine rice, garnished with sliced green onions and toasted sesame seeds, if desired. Enjoy!
Notes
- Extra-firm tofu can be used as a substitute for firm tofu.
- Serve this orange tofu with Jasmine rice and steamed or roasted broccoli for a complete meal.
- You can substitute brown sugar with white sugar or coconut sugar as the sweetener.
- Pressing tofu properly is essential to achieve crispiness during frying.
- Adjust the amount of red chili flakes based on your preferred spice level.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 15 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 15 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
