General Tsao's Tofu
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General Tsao’s Tofu is delicious, low calorie and a great meatless recipe to add to your repertoire. The sauce is one you already love and the tofu soaks it up. The steamed broccoli is a great contrast to the crispy veggies and tofu.
When you make the recipe, place all veggies after you stir fry them in a colander over a bowl. This drains the extra oil and reduces calories without reducing the taste. Prep ahead of time for a faster dinner time. Recipe is below.
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General Tsao’s Tofu
1 box firm tofu, drained
4 tablespoons vegetable oil, more as needed
3 green onions
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger or 1/2 teaspoon dried
1 stalk celery, sliced thinly on diagonal
1 bell pepper, cored and sliced thinly
1 carrot, peeled and sliced
1 baby bok choy, leaves and stems thinly sliced
Tofu Marinade
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon brown sugar
Sauce
1/2 cup vegetable stock
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon cornstarch, dissolved in 1 tablespoon water
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon red pepper or to taste
1 tablespoon mirin or white wine
2 tablespoons white vinegar
1 tablespoon sesame oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
Steamed Broccoli
Sesame Seeds
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Preheat oven to 375 F.
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Drain tofu by placing a heavy dish on top of tofu wraped in a power towel or clean cloth Dry with clean cloth or paper towels. Cut into 1” cubes. Place in bowl. Mix together the tofu with the marinade. Pour over tofu.
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Place tofu on parchment lined oven proof pan with sides. Bake for 15 minutes and then gently turn tofu chunks. Bake another 5 minutes or until tofu is golden. Remove from oven and set aside.
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Heat 3 tablespoon oil in wok or skillet. high heat. Turn to medium hAdd green onions, ginger and garlic, stirring to keep from burning. Set aside. Add celery and bell pepper. Cook until vegetables are al dente. Remove and set aside. Add bok choy. Stir until vegetables have softened. Add any additional vegetables that you may desire here. Place carrots in bowl with water and microwave for 2 minutes on high. Drain and add to vegetables.
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Mix together sauce. Add to wok and stir until sauce thickens. Add tofu and stir gently until the tofu is covered with the sauce. Add rest of vegetables and stir to mix.
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Serve immediately with steamed broccoli and additional tops of green onions sliced over your choice of rice noodles or rice on the side. Sprinkle sesame seeds over the stir fry if desired.
Tip: Place a colander over a bowl. When you finish stir frying the vegetables, place in colander to drain excess oil. This reduces the oil in the stir fry.
Expandthetable suggestions
Don’t like tofu? Try Seitan to keep it vegan, or add chicken, as is usually done, or beef.
