My General Tso’s tofu is the perfect balance of spicy, sweet, and savory. It is loaded with protein (20+ grams per serving!) and comes together in just 30 minutes! This recipe is a reader request – thanks Marshette! Much like Singapore Noodles, I had never actually tried General Tso’s stir fry before. But from what I hear, it’s traditionally lightly battered and fried chicken tossed with a savory-sweet sauce, and cooked with green onion and dried red chilies for heat. I think I can get on board with that.
Origins of General Tso’s Stir-Fry
It’s believed that General Tso’s Chicken stir-fry was created around the 1950s by a chef named Pang Chang-kuei. He was born in the Hunan province of China and went to Taiwan after the Chinese civil war. He says the dish was inspired by flavors of Hunanese cuisine and named after a Hunanese general. Pang later moved to New York and opened his first restaurant. He adapted his recipe to cater to his new audience and the dish quickly spread in popularity. To keep my version plant-based, I went with tofu. If you’ve followed this blog for long, you’ve probably seen my favorite way to make tofu taste good. Well, even though I still love that method, I may love this new method even more (one I adapted from The Kitchn)! Simply marinate the tofu in a bit of soy sauce, maple syrup, and chili garlic sauce before dredging in cornstarch and pan-frying in a little oil. The result is a flavorful tofu that’s crispy on the outside, tender (not mushy) on the inside, and comes together in about 20 minutes! This dish gets some serious heat from dried red chilies, which you can find in most traditional and Asian grocery stores. However, if you have trouble locating some, either use fresh red chilies or extra chili garlic sauce. Whatever you do, don’t skip the heat! That’s what makes this dish balanced and delicious. I think you guys are going to LOVE this fake-out takeout dish. It’s: Extremely flavorfulPerfectly spicedNot too sweetSatisfyingComfortingQuick& Dang delicious This would make the perfect entrée to make when you’re craving takeout but want to stay in and make it a little healthier! Don’t get me wrong – I wouldn’t call this “health food.” But it is much lighter than what you’ll find at restaurants. Plus, 20 grams protein per serving! If you give this recipe a try, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to take a picture and tag it #minimalistbaker on Instagram. We’d love to see what you come up with. Cheers, friends! NOTE: Recipe modified to include texture improvements November 9, 2020.
