General Tso’s Tofu

Name: General Tso’s Tofu
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients: 1 block (16 ounces, or 454 g) extra-firm tofu, cut into ½-inch (1 cm) cubes; 1 tablespoon maple syrup; 2 tablespoons Chinkiang vinegar; 2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine (or dry sherry); 2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine (or dry sherry); 1 tablespoon soy sauce; 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce; ¼ cup (50 g) sugar; 6 tablespoons cornstarch, or enough to coat the tofu; 6 tablespoons cornstarch, or enough to coat the tofu; 1 bunch broccoli rabe (or 1 large head broccoli), tough ends removed and cut into bite-size pieces; 1 bunch broccoli rabe (or 1 large head broccoli), tough ends removed and cut into bite-size pieces; 3 tablespoons peanut oil (or vegetable oil), divided; 3 tablespoons peanut oil (or vegetable oil), divided; 1 tablespoon minced ginger; 4 cloves garlic, minced; 4 scallions, roughly chopped; 2 dried Chinese chili peppers (optional)

Preparation info

Yield
4
servings

Difficulty
Easy
Ready in
30 min

Appears in

Chinese Homestyle

By Maggie Zhu

Published 2022

About

The highlight of this dish is the caramelized tofu bites, which are crispy and chewy on the outside, tender on the inside, and full of umami flavor from a marinade of soy sauce and maple syrup. This dish is finished with tender broccoli rabe coated in a tangy, savory-sweet, sticky sauce.

Ingredients

Tofu

1 block (16 ounces, or 454 g) extra-firm tofu, cut into ½-inch (1 cm) cubes
2

Asia
China
Main course
Vegan

Method

To prepare the tofu: Pat the tofu dry with paper towels and transfer to a large resealable plastic bag. Add the 2 tablespoons soy sauce and maple syrup. Seal the bag and gently flip it a few times to coat the tofu with the liquid, then let stand for 10 to 15 minutes to marinate while you prepare the other ingredients.
To make the sauce: In a mediu