Kung Pao Tofu

Kung Pao Tofu

I can say without hesitation that this is one of my favourite recipes ever. period. not my favourite tofu recipe. not my favourite recipe featuring peppers. Just one of my favourite recipes – which is no small feat considering that the primary ingredient is tofu. Now I don’t have any problems with tofu at all but I rarely crave it. I crave this recipe.

The recipe comes from the at times wonderful Whole Foods Market Cookbook. The ingredients aren’t too hard to track down. Brown Rice Syrup is usually found at health food stores and tamari is readily available now but you could use soy sauce.

Now I’ve never had King Pao Tofu from a restaurant, but as a stand-alone dish this is just overall yummy. It’s a great combination of sweet and spicy as well as crunchy and sauce. I always add a bit more cayenne to the mix because I like the heat. Serve this over rice and maybe with some broccoli on the side and you’re good to go.

Oh, and leftovers are GREAT for lunch the next day!

Kung Pao Tofu
Kung Pao Sauce Base:
1/2 cup brown rice syrup
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
2 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons tamari
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
Tofu:
1 1/2 cups prepared teriyaki marinade
1 pound extra-firm tofu, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
Remaining Ingredients:
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1/2 tablespoon canola oil
1 1/4 teaspoons crushed red chili flakes
2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced (1 teaspoon)
1 cup chopped peanuts
3 scallions, thinly sliced diagonally
3/4 cup diced green pepper
3/4 cup diced red pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

To prepare the Kung Pao Sauce bas, combine the brown rice syrup, rice wine vinegar, cornstarch, tamari, and cayenne pepper in a small bowl, and mix until well blended. Set aside,

In a medium bowl, place the teriyaki marinade. Add the tofu cubes, and gently toss to coat well. Remove the tofu from the marinade with aslotted spoon, draining off the excess liquid, and place it on a baking pan in a single layer. Bake the tofu in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes, until it is lightly browned.

Heat the oils in a large saute pan until almost smoking. Add the red chili flakes, ginger, garlic, and peanuts. Saute for 3 minutes. Add the cooked tofu and scallions, and saute 1 minute. Add half the reserved Kung Pao sauce base, stirring constantly until sauce thickens.

Add the remeining half of the sauce base, and stir until glossy. Stir in the peppers; cook for 1 or 2 minutes, until the peppers are firm-tender.

Source:
“Whole Food Market Cookbook”