Vegan Tofu Kangjung (General Tso’s Tofu) Recipe (2024)

December 6, 2011

Out of all the dishes that I cook, this is Sunnie’s favorite. She describes it as “so frickin’ awesome”, so you can’t ask for a better endorsem*nt than that. Seriously, I spent years tinkering with this recipe. As a bonus, this dish can actually be considered both Korean and Chinese – Korean Tofu Kangjung (Kanjung means crunchy dish) and Chinese General Tso’s Tofu!

Sunnie loves this dish as it reminds her of all the yummy spicy Korean fried rice cakes or Korean fried chicken snacks she used to have when she was growing up in South Korea.

Vegan Tofu Kangjung (General Tso’s Tofu) Recipe!
(serves 2-3)

Ingredients
1 16-19 ounce package of extra-firm tofu (frozen, then thawed)
1/3 cup corn starch (or more if needed)
1 cup of steamed broccoli ( if desired)

Sauce
1 Tbs finely minced or shredded ginger (see note on ginger by picture below)
1 Tbs minced garlic
2 Tbs soy sauce
1 Tbs white vinegar
1 Tbs white wine
4 Tbs vegan sugar or agave syrup
1 cup water
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (more or less to taste)

1Tbs & 1 tsp corn starch mixed with 2 Tbs water

Directions

  1. Press the tofu to drain the water from it (freezing the tofu beforehand gives it a chewier texture and really makes a difference). To press the tofu, place it between two absorbent towels on a cutting board. Put several heavy books on top and let sit for 15 minutes to half an hour, minimum, up to two hours. The longer, the better! The key is to push out the water without breaking the tofu. If you’re in a hurry, you can get away with squeezing the water out with your hands (only if you’ve frozen it beforehand), just be careful not to break it.
  2. Slice the tofu into 1″ by 1″ cubes.
  3. Put the tofu in batches in a bag or container with a lid, add the corn starch and shake to coat. Add more corn starch if needed.
  4. Heat oil in a small pan over medium heat and fry tofu in batches until crisp and slightly brown, turning to cook both sides. I usually can get away with a couple of Tbs of oil to do the frying if the pan is small enough, so you don’t have to deep fry; although, you certainly can. Just be sure to use enough oil so that it doesn’t stick to the pan and the level is high enough to cover half of each tofu cube.
  5. Cut broccoli into bite sizes and steam (if desired).
  6. Add 1 cup of water and all of the the sauce ingredients except the cornstarch and water mixture to a large pan, stir to dissolve the sugar, bring to a boil over high heat and cook for several minutes. If desired, you can first saute the garlic, ginger, and red pepper in a tablespoon of oil for a couple of minutes before adding the other ingredients.
  7. Add the cornstarch and water mixture to the sauce and continue to cook, stirring. When the sauce thickens enough to be syrupy remove from heat. If the sauce is too runny, combine a little more cornstarch and water and add to the sauce. When sauce has thickened enough, remove from heat and allow to cool slightly. Add the fried tofu to the sauce and stir and flip to coat (if desired, you can add the broccoli too).
  8. Serve with brown rice and the steamed broccoli on the side (if desired)!

* NOTE: if you’re looking for a lower fat version of these, skip the corn starch, lightly spray the tofu with canola oil and bake the tofu in an oven preheated to 450 F for around 20 minutes, checking to make sure it doesn’t burn. It won’t be quite as crispy, but you cut out the fat from the oil.

Fry the tofu in batches and remove to a paper towel to remove excess oil.

Cook the garlic and ginger in the sauce before adding cornstarch mixture. One tip to make sure that you always have ginger handy is to place it in your freezer, and then just use a zester or micro-plane to shred the frozen ginger when you’re ready to use it! You want the ginger pieces very small so that it flavors the sauce but you don’t bite into pieces of it.

The sauce will thicken after you add the cornstarch mixture.

Remember to remove the sauce from the heat and allow to cool slightly so that it does not make the tofu soggy when you coat it.

With brown rice and steamed broccoli, this is a delicious treat of a meal. This is a go-to dish for me when I have guests over and often surprises people who aren’t really tofu fans by showing them what a great texture it can have when prepared this way.

from → Main Dish, Non-Korean, Recipes

Vegan Tofu Kangjung (General Tso’s Tofu) Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is General Tso tofu made of? ›

Ingredients and Substitutions

tofu – Use firm or extra firm tofu, and make sure to press it for the best results. pepper – White pepper and red pepper flakes season the tofu. cornstarch – To crisp the tofu and thicken the sauce. You can use other starches, like potato or tapioca starch instead, if needed.

Is General Tso's tofu good for you? ›

It's spicy-sweet, healthier than the classic Chinese takeout dish, and one of my favorite tofu recipes. This General Tso's Tofu is a healthier and lighter version of the classic General Tso's Chicken. Besides, it's made with tofu instead of chicken and the tofu is not deep-fried, just sautéed in a little bit of oil.

What's the difference between tofu and vegan tofu? ›

Is All Tofu Vegan? Although tofu in general is completely vegan friendly, we always recommend checking the ingredients list on the tofu you have. Sometimes, the odd brand of tofu may use a different method to create their tofu, some of which include animal byproducts in their process.

Why won t my tofu get crispy? ›

If your crispy tofu isn't getting crispy, it could be because there is too much moisture in the tofu. Another issue could be the oil isn't hot enough to fry the tofu. Or you forgot to add the corn flour. These three reasons can cause your tofu to be soggy or not crisp up as much as you'd like.

Should you marinate tofu? ›

Tofu has very little flavour itself but soaks up almost every flavour you add to it. When you put tofu in a stew or simmer it in a broth, you don't need to marinade it beforehand, as it absorbs all of the flavours during cooking. But for all other types of preparations, it's better to marinate the tofu first of all.

Is there a downside to eating tofu? ›

Incorporating tofu into your daily meals and snacks can bring several health benefits. Those benefits include brain health promotion, ease of menopause symptoms, and heart disease prevention. However, eating tofu has some risks, as it might lead to digestive issues or interact with certain medications like MAOIs.

Is tofu healthier than chicken? ›

Tofu nutrition. This meatless option is a staple for vegetarians, and rightfully so. It boasts more fiber, calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc and folate than chicken and contains fewer calories.

Why do Chinese eat so much tofu? ›

This probably coincided with the spread of Buddhism as it is an important source of protein in the vegetarian diet of East Asian Buddhism. Li Shizhen, during the Ming dynasty, described a method of making tofu in the Compendium of Materia Medica.

Can vegans eat tofu everyday? ›

"For the vast majority of people, it should be reasonable to incorporate tofu in their daily diet without any issues," Sun said. He and his family eat "probably three servings per week," Sun said. He likes using soft tofu in soups and firm tofu – frozen and cut up – in a traditional Chinese hot pot.

Is tofu good for weight loss? ›

Tofu is a cholesterol-free, low-calorie, high-protein food that's also rich in bone-boosting calcium and manganese. Tofu may help you to lose weight by keeping you fuller for longer on fewer calories than meat. It may reduce the risk of heart disease, especially when swapped for saturated fat-heavy animal proteins.

Which tofu is healthiest? ›

Tofu Nutrition

For relatively similar serving sizes, the nutrition differences between silken and firm tofu are pretty big. Silken tofu contains only about half the calories and fat, while firm tofu contains over twice the protein. The reason for this is water content.

What not to mix with tofu? ›

What to not serve with tofu? According to studies, a high volume consumption of tofu and spinach together can increase your risk of kidney stones. Tofu and spinach contain calcium and oxalic acid respectively and the combined can form kidney stones.

Is it better to fry or bake tofu? ›

It sticks, and the crispy bits end up sticking to the pan, which is a tofu tragedy. Plus, it requires more oil, and you don't need to use a lot of oil to get crispy tofu. When you bake your tofu, you give it time to develop crispy edges and warm, pillowy insides. It's simply the best.

What can I marinate tofu in? ›

In a mixing bowl or measuring cup with a spout, whisk together the marinade: soy sauce, maple syrup, rice vinegar, olive oil, sesame oil, garlic powder, smoked paprika, ginger, and Sriracha. Drizzle over the tofu. If any pieces look bare, turn them over in the marinade a few times so all of the sides are coated.

What is tofu made of in China? ›

Tofu is made from dried soybeans that are soaked in water, crushed, and boiled. The mixture is separated into solid pulp (okara) and soy “milk.” Salt coagulants, such as calcium and magnesium chlorides and sulfates, are added to the soy milk to separate the curds from the whey.

Is bean curd the same as tofu? ›

Tofu is the name and spelling used most often for bean curd, but it is actually the Japanese word for a Chinese invention - doufu.

What is crispy tofu made of? ›

Mix the cornflour, garlic, paprika, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Unravel the tofu from the paper, cut in half through the centre, then cut into triangles, cubes or strips. Toss the tofu pieces in the spiced cornflour to coat all over. Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan over a medium-high heat.

What's the difference between fried tofu and tofu? ›

Fried tofu is exactly what it sounds like: squares of tofu fried and pre-packaged for your easy consumption. It's not as crispy as you might suspect, nor is it as compact and crumbly as firm tofu, but instead has a spongy, airy texture perfect for absorbing sauces.

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