for serving: 3 cups cooked white rice2 cups broccoli
Instructions
To Make the Tofu
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
To make the baked tofu: Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Slice tofu into 1" cubes. Pat tofu firmly with a paper towel to remove excess moisture. Add tofu to a large plastic bag or container. Sprinkle with olive oil, corn starch and salt. Gently toss to evenly coat the tofu.
Place the tofu in a single layer on the parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Bake in 425 degree oven for 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from oven when golden brown.
To Make the Sauce
In a small saucepot (the stove should be off) whisk together rice vinegar, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, tomato paste, sugar, ground ginger, garlic powder and red pepper flakes. Pour in ¾ cup vegetable broth, stirring to combine.
Bring to a rapid simmer over medium-high heat. In a small bowl, stir together 1 tablespoon corn starch and 1 tablespoon vegetable broth. Pour this slurry into the simmering sauce.
Reduce heat to a slow simmer over medium-low heat. Simmer until thickened enough to coat the back of a metal spoon without sliding off. This should take about 5 minutes.
Stir baked tofu into the sauce. Serve with rice and broccoli.
Notes
Sugar: You can use white sugar, coconut sugar, or maple syrup in this recipe in equal amounts. The maple syrup will give a slightly different flavor but is still very good. Use 2 tablespoons for a sweeter sauce.
Read my post on how to make SImple Baked Tofu for more information on the tofu method.
This recipe can easily be doubled or tripled. Do note that the base General Tso's sauce makes a little more than is needed to coat all of the tofu. I usually drizzle my vegetables and rice in the extra sauce.
Leftovers and reheating: Keep refrigerated in a closed container for 3-4 days. Reheat in the microwave or re-crisp on the stove over medium heat.
For pan-fried tofu: Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Drizzle with neutral oil, such as canola oil. Add the cornstarch coated tofu and sauté until golden, stirring as needed for even cooking.
To freeze the sauce: Let cool to room temp before transferring to a freezer safe container or pint-sized ball jar. Leave at least ½ inch space at the top of the container. Freeze for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the fridge before using.
To make gluten-free use tamari in place of soy sauce and choose a gluten-free Hoisin sauce.