Vegan Kung Pao Tofu
User Reviews
5
-
Prep Time
10 mins
-
Cook Time
30 mins
-
Total Time
40 mins
-
Servings
2
-
Calories
513 kcal
-
Course
Main Course
-
Cuisine
Chinese
Vegan Kung Pao Tofu
Description
The recipe begins by cutting firm or extra-firm tofu into cubes and draining excess moisture to aid browning. Red and green bell peppers are prepared in small pieces. The stir-fry sauce, made from dark and light soy sauces, garlic, ginger, vinegar, sugar, and cornstarch, is mixed separately to coat the ingredients later.
Tofu is pan-fried in vegetable oil until golden on the surface, then set aside. Aromatics such as dried red chilies, Sichuan peppercorns, garlic, ginger, and scallion whites are briefly fried to release fragrance. The tofu and bell peppers rejoin the pan before pouring the sauce and stirring to coat everything evenly. Toasted peanuts and scallion greens are folded in at the end.
Serving with steamed rice or noodles is suggested to complement the dish’s bold flavors. The preparation yields a satisfying texture contrast between crisp tofu, crunchy peanuts, and tender veggies, capturing the essence of Kung Pao in a vegan form.
The note mentions that the recipe has been updated with photos since its original 2013 publication.
Ingredients
- 1 pound firm tofu or extra firm tofu
- 3 tbsp. vegetable oil
- 1 green pepper , cut into small pieces
- 1 red pepper sliced
- 1/8 tsp. Sichuan peppercorn
- 3 to 5 dried red chili pepper , I use whole pieces to reduce the hotness
- 2 garlic minced, cloves
- 1 inch ginger root, sliced
- 2 leek scallion , cut the white part into small sections
- 1 tbsp. peanuts
Stir-fry Sauce:
- ½ tbsp. dark soy sauce
- 1 tbsp. soy sauce light
- 1 tsp. salt a small pinch
- 1 inch ginger grated
- 1 tbsp. green onion chopped
- 2 garlic finely chopped, cloves
- 1 tbsp. cornstarch
- 1 tbsp. vinegar
- 2 tbsp. water
- 2 tsp. sugar
Instructions
- Cut the firm tofu into cubes around 2 cm. And then drain to remove the water on the surface.
- Cut red pepper and green pepper into small pieces.
- In a small bowl, mix all the ingredients for stir-fry sauce.
- Heat up 3 tablespoons of peanut oil in wok. And get the cubes in to stir-fry until tofu becomes gold-brown in surface. Move the tofu cubes out and pour the extra oil out of the wok, left around 1 tablespoon of oil in.
- Fry dried chili pepper and Sichuan peppercorn until aroma and then place ginger, garlic and half of leek onion in to stir-fry over slow fire until fragrant; return tofu cubes in along with pepper pieces.
- Slightly stir the kung pao sauce and pour in. Give everything a give stir fry until the tofu cubes are well coated. Add toasted peanuts and the remaining leek onion sections. Mix well and serve with steamed rice or noodles.
Notes
- Drain tofu well before cooking to help achieve a golden, firm surface.
- Adjust the number of dried chilies used to control heat level.
- Serve with steamed rice or noodles to balance bold flavors and texture.
- Recipe has been maintained and updated since 2013; photos were added in 2017 for clarity.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 2Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 513 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 513kcal | 26% |
| Carbohydrates | 26g | 9% |
| Protein | 24g | 48% |
| Fat | 36g | 55% |
| Saturated Fat | 19g | 95% |
| Sodium | 1602mg | 67% |
| Potassium | 162mg | 3% |
| Fiber | 3g | 12% |
| Sugar | 7g | 14% |
| Vitamin A | 785IU | 16% |
| Vitamin C | 9.8mg | 11% |
| Calcium | 315mg | 32% |
| Iron | 3.4mg | 19% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
You'll Also Love
