Sesame Tofu

Sesame Tofu is my OTHER favorite Chinese food. This was actually my first time making it and I'm impressed with how accurate it was, considering I was winging it.

Ingredients:
1 block tofu, pressed.
enough vegetable oil for 1/4" deep in your pan.
1-2 Tbsp sesame seeds
2 Tbsp sliced scallions (optional)

Batter:
2 Tbsp ground flax seed
4 Tbsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
1/4 c water

Sauce:
1/3 c maple syrup
4 T soysauce or braggs. I used half and half.
2 Tbsp ginger
3 cloves garlic
2 Tbsp sesame oil
2 1/2 Tbsp rice vinegar
1/4 c water
1 Tbsp cornstarch

Step 1:


Mix your batter. It should be like thin pancake batter.
While your vegetable oil is heating up over medium high, slice your tofu into squares.
Dunk them in the batter and lay them in the hot oil. Remember to lay them away from you, so you don't splash yourself with hot oil.
The batter wont turn golden brown, it will just get crispy. Fry the tofu for about a minute and a half per side.
I apologize for the lack of pictures, but expensive camera + batter + hot oil = disaster so...

Step 2:

In a tablespoon of reserved fry oil, fry the ginger and garlic. Careful not to burn the garlic or it will get bitter.
When they are soft, add the soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil and maple syrup.
Stir water and cornstarch into a slurry and add to sauce.
Bring to a boil and allow to thicken.

Toss the tofu with the sauce and sprinkle with sesame seeds and garnish with scallions. Serve over rice and broccoli.

Broccoli and Tofu with Brown Sauce

I love Chinese food. Its greasy, delicious and you eat it with sticks. Broccoli with brown sauce has always been a favorite of mine, but sadly a lot of places make it with oyster sauce which is not vegan. Super sad face, I know!

BUT there is a bright side! Its actually really easy to make at home, plus no MSG headache!

Ingredients:
4 cups broccoli
1 block tofu, pressed.
vegetable oil
salt

2 c broth or water
3 cloves garlic, minced (feel free to use less garlic, but I'm a fiend. I even have a garlic tattoo. Yes really.)
1 Tbsp ginger
1/4 c soy sauce or braggs
1 1/2 Tbsp corn starch
1/4 c sugar



Step 1:

If you are using a steel pan, sprinkle salt into your dry pan and heat on medium high. This will stop your tofu from sticking and causing a disaster. It also seasons the tofu, which is a nice bonus.
If you're using teflon, pour in your oil before you start heating your pan. You never want to heat a teflon pan when its dry. Chemicals and whatnot. blegh.

Step 2:

Heat up enough vegetable oil so that its 1/4" deep.
Fry your tofu for about 3 minutes per side, or until they're crispy. Unless you like gooey fu, in which case, don't cook it as long. I'm a crispy kind of gal so I like to make it golden. Remember that if your oil isn't hot enough, or if you crowd the pan, you'll get greasy tofu which is no fun.
When both sides are cooked, place them on a paper bag or a draining rack with paper towels to soak up the excess oil.

I took a bite for um...demonstration reasons. It was delicious.

Now is a good time to break up your broccoli.

Step 3:


mix your soy sauce, cornstarch and sugar.

Step 4:

Drain off the remaining oil**, leaving a little to fry the garlic and ginger on medium heat. Careful not to burn the garlic or it will get bitter. I burned the garlic because I was taking pictures. oops.
Once the garlic and ginger are soft, add the broth and soysauce mix.

**I'd suggest doing so into an empty coffee can or another metal pan. Don't pour it into anything that will melt or explode.

Depending on how cooked you like your broccoli, you may blanch or steam your broccoli before adding it to the sauce. If you do blanch your veg, make sure you drain it really well or the sauce will get watery. I found that out the hard way.
I steamed my broccoli this time but I found that it ended up overcooked. I usually prefer my broccoli practically raw though, so its all up to you.



Serve over rice, or in my case, rice noodles.
This could serve 3 normal people or 2 really hungry people and a Squidgy.