Kitchen Curious: Sweet and sour tofu to the rescue
Are you losing your cool during this coronavirus crisis?
The other day, I was headed for a breakdown. It was 6 p.m. Unanswered work emails kept piling up. A story I needed to file was half-written. Another awaited editing. Ingredients for what was supposed to be this week’s Kitchen Curious recipe sat untouched on the kitchen counter. And, of course, my family began to ask about dinner.
What did we have on hand that could come together fast? I opened the fridge and spotted two blocks of tofu. And I remembered my go-to preparation for tofu dissenters: crispy tofu in sweet and sour sauce.
The recipe is based on one published in Celine Steen and Joni Marie Newman’s “500 Vegan Recipes” (Quarto, 2009). The stains and pen scrawls on my photocopy of that page give evidence to its utility in my culinary repertoire. If the image isn’t enough, in a few words, here’s why this one is a winner.
First, the sweet and sour sauce is spectacular (and fantastic as a dipping sauce for egg rolls or spring rolls). Plus, it’s made from pantry staples, and with plenty of options for substitutions. As an example, I used papaya nectar instead of pineapple juice because that’s all I had.
Then there’s the tofu. Crispy tofu is more palatable to those who avert tofu for its mushy texture. Fry it, and at least they’ll try it.
Finally, the dish comes together very fast. Once you get the sauce simmering, it’s just a matter of dredging the tofu in seasoned flour (rummage through your spice cabinet for more powdered add-ins) and tossing it in the frying pan. If you start a pot of rice the same time that you get the sauce going, you’ll have a complete meal in less than 30 minutes.
It wasn’t until I was halfway through crisping those tofu triangles to a golden brown that I realized this was hardly a crisis moment. I had a Kitchen Curious recipe worth sharing with all of you — and dinner was served.
We got this, friends.
Sweet and Sour Tofu
For the sweet and sour sauce:
- 3/4 cup pineapple juice (substitute with orange juice or another tropical fruit juice or juice from canned fruit)
- 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar (substitute with Champagne vinegar, white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar)
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional) (for spicier sauce, add up to 1 teaspoon)
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch, dissolved in 1/4 cup water to make a slurry
- In a medium pot, combine the fruit juice, vinegar, sugar, ketchup, soy sauce, salt and red pepper flakes, if using. Bring to a boil, then lower heat to a simmer and let simmer 10 minutes. Stir in the cornstarch slurry and remove from the heat. Set aside, or keep warm on very low heat until the tofu is ready.
For the tofu:
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Powdered ginger, to taste (optional)
- Vegetable oil, for frying
- 2 (10-12-ounce) packages extra-firm tofu, drained and pressed
- Combine the flour, salt and pepper, and ginger, if using, in a shallow dish. Heat a frying pan with about 1/4 inch of oil.
- Cut the tofu into small triangles by first cutting the tofu into strips, then cutting each strip in half, then cutting each half in half again, on the diagonal. Dip or toss each triangle into the flour mixture to coat very well on all sides (if the tofu is wet, it will not fry to a nice crispness) and place in the frying pan. Cooking in batches, fry each side for 3 to 5 minutes, until all sides are crisped and golden brown. Remove from the pan and let drain on a paper-lined towel. Repeat until all the tofu has been fried. Add the tofu to the sweet and sour sauce, gently stirring to coat evenly.
- Serve on its own or over rice. Serves 3-4.
Nutritional information
Per serving: (based on 4) 333 calories (percent of calories from fat, 51), 18 grams protein, 25 grams carbohydrates, 1 gram fiber, 20 grams fat (3 grams saturated), no cholesterol, 775 milligrams sodium.RELATED:
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About the Author
Ligaya Figueras is the AJC's senior editor for Food & Dining. Prior to joining the AJC in 2015, she was the executive editor for St. Louis-based culinary magazine Sauce. She has worked in the publishing industry since 1999 and holds degrees from St. Louis University and the University of Michigan.
