Kung Pao Tofu

I often crave Chinese food, especially the spicy Sichuan cuisine. Its bold flavors and mouth numbing Sichuan peppercorns are a personal favorite. In addition to being a beloved Sichuanese recipe, Kung Pao is probably one of the most popular items in Westernized Chinese cuisine. Many versions of the Kung Pao recipe exist. This recipe is my version of Kung Pao that uses basic ingredients that are not too difficult to find. The sauce is a perfect blend of spicy, salty and sweet that beautifully coats crisp pieces of tofu. I hope this recipe satisfies your Chinese take out cravings!

Serves: 2 | Prep. time: 15 minutes | Cook time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 16 oz. or 500 g firm tofu

• 1 tbsp. corn starch

• 3 tbsp. vegetable or peanut oil

• 2 dried red chili peppers, de-seeded (any spicy pepper like Thai chili, facing heaven chili or Chile de arbol will work)

• 1/2 tbsp. grated fresh ginger

• 1/2 tbsp. grated fresh garlic

• 1/2 cup roughly chopped onions or scallions

• 1/3 cup roughly chopped bell peppers

For the sauce:

• 1 tbsp. corn starch (thickening agent)

• 1 tbsp. rice wine vinegar

• 2 tbsp. brown sugar

• 2 tbsp. soy sauce

• 1 tbsp. dark soy sauce

• 2 tbsp. water

Directions:

1. Wash block of tofu with water and press firmly to squeeze out liquid.

2. Cut tofu into 1 inch cubes and toss in the corn starch.

3. In a wide pan, heat 3 tbsp. oil. Once hot, place the tofu pieces in the pan in a single layer. On medium heat, let tofu pieces turn golden. When the bottoms are done, turn the pieces over so that the other side can get crisp and golden. Remove crisp tofu pieces from pan and place in a bowl.

4. In the same pan with the left over oil, add the dried red chili peppers and let them turn fragrant. Then add the ginger, garlic, onions and bell peppers and stir fry for 3 minutes.

5. While the vegetables are cooking, whisk together all the components of the sauce in a clean bowl. After onions and peppers are slightly cooked, add the sauce to the pan. Almost immediately, the sauce will begin to thicken.

6. Add the crisp tofu pieces into the pan and stir everything around to nicely coat the tofu pieces in the Kung Pao sauce.

7. Let sauce cook for 2 minutes before turning off the heat.

8. Transfer Kung Pao Tofu to serving bowl and garnish with cilantro leaves or scallions.

9. Serve with white or brown rice and a side of stir fried vegetables like bok choy or broccoli.