General Tso’s Tofu

4 standard portions

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Ingredients

• 1 block (16 oz / 450 g) extra firm tofu
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup ((or other syrup, or sugar))
• 1/3 cup water
• 2 tablespoons Chinkiang vinegar
• 2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine ((or dry sherry))
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 6 tablespoons cornstarch ((or enough to coat the tofu))
• 3 tablespoons peanut oil ((or vegetable oil))
• 1 batch broccoli rabe (or 1 big head broccoli) (, cut into bite size pieces (yields about 4 cups once cut))
• 1 tablespoon minced ginger
• 4 cloves garlic (, minced)
• 4 green onions (, roughly chopped)
• 2 dried Chinese chili peppers ((Optional))

Method

1. Pat tofu dry with paper towels. Cut into 1/2” (1 cm) pieces and transfer into a large ziploc bag. Add soy sauce and maple syrup. Gently flip the bag a few times to coat tofu with the liquid. Marinate for 10 to 15 minutes while preparing other ingredients.
2. Mix all the ingredients in a medium-sized bowl. If you’re using pre-made General Tso’s Sauce, shake the sauce to make the cornstarch dissolve completely, then pour 1/3 cup of the sauce into a bowl, add 1/3 cup of stock, and mix well.
3. Once the tofu is marinated, open the bag just a little bit without letting the tofu fall out. Drain and discard all the liquid. Add the cornstarch, a tablespoon at a time, then gently toss the bag to coat the tofu. It is OK if the tofu doesn’t get coated evenly.
4. If using broccoli, add 1/4 cup water to a large pan and heat over medium-high heat until simmering. Add the broccoli. Cook covered for 1 minute, or until al dente. Transfer the broccoli to a plate. Wipe the pan clean with paper towels.
5. Add 2 tablespoons of oil into the pan. Add the tofu with your hand: shake off the extra cornstarch and lay it into the pan without overlapping. Let cook without moving for 2 minutes, or until the bottom turns golden. Flip to brown the other side, 2 minutes or so. If the pan gets too hot, turn to medium or medium-low heat. You can keep browning the other sides of the tofu if you prefer. Transfer the cooked tofu to a plate and set it aside.
6. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil, ginger, garlic, green onion, and dried red chilies (if using). Stir a few times to release the fragrance.
7. If using broccoli rabe, add it to the pan. Cook and stir until wilted. If using broccoli, add the cooked broccoli back into the pan.
8. Stir the sauce again to dissolve the cornstarch completely. Pour it into the pan. Cook and stir until the sauce thickens and coats all the ingredients.
9. Add the tofu back into the pan. Gently toss it to coat it with the sauce. Transfer everything to a large serving plate. Serve hot as a main dish.