Orange Tofu – Vegan Orange Tofu

Crispy tofu simmered in a zesty Orange ginger sauce is the answer to all those midweek Asian food cravings. 

Why we love Orange Tofu?

• Tofu is plant-based. So it s a great source of protein for vegans.
• The sauce is to die for- zesty tangy orange, some maple syrup for the sweet kick and then the heat from the ginger; all these are indicative of flavor bombs.
• This recipe is naturally gluten-free.
• You can also add some roasted cauliflower in place of the tofu for an Orange cauliflower recipe.
• When you have this ready, make a complete meal by pairing this with steamed jasmine rice or even some Thai basil fried rice

Jump to:

• Why we love Orange Tofu?
• Ingredients
• Which tofu to buy for stir-fries?
• Which orange works best for Orange Tofu?
• Prep Work
• Pin This Image to make our Vegan Orange Tofu later
• Vegan Orange Tofu- Method
• More Asian Recipes
• 📖 Recipe

Ingredients

 

Orange Juice- We are going to be using freshly squeezed orange juice to make our orange sauce today. Because canned orange juice tends to turn bitter when heated, this s not ideal in this vegan orange tofu recipe.

Maple syrup- The orange sauce is a combination of sweet, spicy and tangy. The maple syrup is what brings out the sweetness. However, you can substitute this with 2 tablespoon raw cane sugar or 2 tablespoon jaggery or 2 tablespoon honey. Please note that when honey is added, the recipe is no longer vegan.

Aromatics- Ginger, garlic and orange zest are our star aromatics in this recipe. You can also add finely chopped green onions as garnish towards the end.

Which tofu to buy for stir-fries?

In this Orange tofu recipe, we will be using firm pressed tofu. Silken tofu is a big no for any recipes that involve frying the tofu. This is because such varieties do not hold shape while frying.

Look for firm blocks that say pressed on the packaging. Some tofu brands even mention if the tofu is ideal for stir-frying. In Singapore, we find something called Tau-Kwa. This is a firmly pressed tofu and it works well in recipes that involve frying tofu.

Which orange works best for Orange Tofu?

While I tested this recipe, Kinnow oranges were in season. So that is what I used. But I have made with Navel oranges too. Choose any variety that has a slight tang to it. 

Prep Work

Pressing the tofu

The most important step in this recipe is pressing the tofu to squeeze the excess moisture from it. Think of tofu as a sponge. It absorbs all the flavors and liquid. So when there is moisture in tofu, it simply wont absorb the flavors of the sauce. And if it has moisture, it will not crisp up while frying.

Pro Tip: If you find that the tofu is still a wee bit moist after all the squeezing, toss it in cornstarch before frying. The cornstarch will absorb all the excess moisture and form a layer on the top. This cornstarch layer will help in crisping up the tofu better.

Making the sauce

The tofu takes about 6 to 8 mins to crisp up. And that is how much time it takes to cook the sauce too. So, while the tofu gets fried, get started on the sauce. By the time the tofu is ready, the sauce will be done too. Then all you have to do is dunk and cook the tofu in the sauce.

Pin This Image to make our Vegan Orange Tofu later

Vegan Orange Tofu- Method

Pressing and frying the tofu

Open the tofu from its packaging and drain all the liquid in it. Now, place it on a stack of kitchen towels. Place a chopping board on top of the tofu and then, keep a heavy weight like a mortar and pestle on the board. Let this sit undisturbed for 30 mins. 

After 30 mins, chop the tofu into 1 inch squares or finger.

Heat a castiron skillet with oil. Now, add the tofu and fry on medium flame until it crisps around the edges. Using a pair of tongs, flip the tofu pieces in between to make sure all the edges are crisped up.

Making the sauce

While the tofu is in the skillet, let us work on the sauce. Combine orange juice, maple syrup, ginger, orange zest, rice wine vinegar, sriracha sauce and salt in a sauce pan. Mix well. Now add the cornstarch to this and using a balloon whisk, whisk the mixture well, making sure there are no lumps.

Now, cook the sauce on low flame for about 5 mins until it thickens. When it begins to thicken, add the fried tofu and mix well. Simmer for 2 to 3 mins on medium flame.

When done, serve hot with Thai basil fried rice.

 

 

More Asian Recipes

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📖 Recipe