Recipes

Sticky Orange Tofu

Serves 4

| Prep Time: 15 mins

| Cook Time: 45 mins

| Total Time: 1 hour

You may need: Spicy Tangerine

Discover The Recipe

Perfection might be a steamy bowl of perfectly cooked white rice with broccoli and crispy bites of fried tofu, all coated in a spicy, citrus-flavored sauce. Our version of this unforgettable Sticky Orange Tofu dish includes our unique Spicy Tangerine spice blend made with dried tangerine peels, freshly ground ginger, and red pepper flakes to tingle your tastebuds. The resulting Orange Sauce is the perfect coating for crispy bites of baked tofu and fresh, steamed vegetables.

Tofu, also known as bean curd, is made from soy milk. It can be purchased in various textures, from silken to super firm. We recommend super or extra firm for this dish. Tofu doesn't have much flavor on its own but makes the perfect meat substitute because it quickly absorbs any flavors it is cooked in and offers plenty of plant-based protein. We even include directions for using an air fryer to make the crispy tofu. The first recorded mention of tofu making was 2000 years ago during the Chinese Han dynasty. In America, Benjamin Franklin was the first to mention tofu in a letter he wrote in 1771, where he referred to it as "cheese from China."

Ingredients

Crispy Baked Tofu:
2 blocks tofu, extra firm
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1/4 cup cornstarch
Orange Sauce:
1 cup water
1/2 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup tamari
1/3 cup seasoned rice vinegar
1 Tbsp Piquant Post Spicy Tangerine
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp grated ginger
1 tsp hot sauce
2 Tbsp cornstarch
1/4 cup hot water
For Serving
1 head broccoli, cut into florets and blanched or steamed
2 green onions, sliced
1 Tbsp sesame seeds
2 cups cooked white rice

Notes

The cornstarch and oil that is used to coat the tofu will help give it nice crispy texture just like fried tofu in a Chinese restaurant! If you want to keep this recipe low fat, simply substitute soy sauce or tamari for the vegetable oil when you are coating the tofu!

The recipe cooks even faster in an air fryer if you have one. We recommend air-frying the tofu for about 10 minutes on each side at 390°F. Carefully monitor how the tofu is cooking in case you need to take it out sooner.

We recommend using extra firm tofu for a wonderfully chewy texture. The tofu in this dish should be lightly pressed in between paper towels before cooking to remove excess liquid, but doesn’t require a long pressing time. Read more about pressing tofu here.

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Drain the tofu and cut the tofu into 1” cubes. Place the tofu cubes in between 2 sheets of paper towel and gently press down on the tofu to press out some of the liquid. Discard the paper towels and transfer the tofu to a large ziplock bag. Add the vegetable oil and the cornstarch and gently shake the bag until the tofu is completely coated.

Place the coated tofu onto a parchment lined baking tray and bake in the oven for 15 mins. Flip the tofu on the tray and bake for another 15 minutes.

In a large saucepan, add all the ingredients except the cornstarch and hot water. Bring the mixture to a boil in the sauce pan and turn down the heat to a simmer. Whisk together the cornstarch and the hot water and add to the saucepan. Stir well, and cook for a couple of minutes until the sauce begins to thicken. Add the baked tofu to the pan and stir well to coat the tofu. Remove from the heat

Serve the Orange Tofu with some cooked rice, sliced onions, sesame seeds and blanched or steamed broccoli.

Alternatives & Substitutions

The Spicy Tangerine spice blend is infinitely versatile. So, try making a lovely citrusy salad dressing: Soak 1 Tbsp Spicy Tangerine in 2- Tbsp orange juice. After 5 mins, whisk the juice together with 2 parts extra virgin olive t0 1 part apple cider vinegar (or white wine vinegar).
The citrusy flavor in our Spicy Tangerine blend mixes beautifully with the fresh squeezed orange juice. Try other types of citrus like grapefruit or blood orange for a fresh twist on this classic dish! Even lemon is delicious, as shown in this takeout style Lemon Chicken.
Ready to amp up the 'wow' factor at your dinner table? Make these Tangerine Firecracker Shrimp, or try our Vegan Chinese Stir Fried Noodles.
For our meat-lovers, try making a classic Tangerine Beef or our delicious Tangerine Pork Fried Rice or Tangerine Chicken Chow Mein, or our Air Fryer Orange Chicken recipes.
Serve this dish as a side to our Hong Kong Scallops for a Chinese-inspired feast!
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