Ginger Fried Tofu Recipe
Backstory
My school had fried tofu with ginger sauce a month or two ago. It was excellent, and I noticed that it tasted similar to an orange chicken sauce with more ginger focus rather than an orange focus. I compiled this recipe based on this recipe with some adaptations.
Ingredients
Tofu
- 1 pound of tofu (450g)
- Vegetable oil to fry (no set amount)
- Shaoxing wine
- White flour
Sauce
- 1 tablespoon canola or vegetable oil
- 6 dried red chili peppers
- 2 star anise
- 1 tablespoon of fresh orange juice
- 1/4 cup chicken stock (60 ml)
- 2 tablespoons of rice wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons of sugar
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch (mixed into a slurry with 2 tablespoons water)
- 1 scallion (sliced on an angle into 1 1/2-inch pieces)
- 2 tbsp minced ginger
- 1 clove of garlic
- 1 teaspoon of Asian sesame oil
- Sesame seeds to garnish
Cooking
Frying tofu
Cut tofu up into approximately 1/2 inch cubes. Put white flour in one bowl with Shaoxing wine in another. First, put the tofu in the flour, coat thoroughly, then coat in the wine. Coat again in the flour, then set aside. Repeat with each tofu piece until all are breaded. Fill a wok or a medium pan with enough vegetable oil to deep fry the tofu. Do not fill past halfway to reduce fire risk. Once the oil is 350 degrees F, put the tofu in, making sure not to overcrowd. Remove the tofu once golden brown. Set aside on a baking tray with a wire rack.
Aromatics
This section comes directly from this article from The Woks of Life.
Heat a wok over medium heat and add a tablespoon of oil. Add the dried chili peppers, tangerine peel, and star anise, and toast for about 20 seconds, being careful not to burn the aromatics. Add the orange juice, chicken stock, vinegar, sugar, and soy sauce.
Sauce
Mix ingredients except for corn starch slurry. Bring sauce to a simmer, then slowly add the corn starch slurry. The sauce is done once you can dip a spoon in, and it leaves a clean line when you wipe some off the back with your finger. Add the tofu and scallions, toss, and dish. Add some sesame seeds as garnish, then serve.