Indo-Chinese Garlic Pepper Tofu

• servings: 4 servings
• active time: 20 minutes
• total time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

14 ounces firm or extra-firm tofu (pressed for at least 15 minutes, then torn into ¾” bite-sized pieces)

1 teaspoon soy sauce (or use tamari for gluten-free)

½ teaspoon garlic powder

½ teaspoon black pepper

2 tablespoons cornstarch

2 tablespoons white rice flour

2 teaspoon oil

2 teaspoons oil

2 to 3 tablespoons garlic (finely chopped)

1 teaspoon finely chopped ginger

½ green chili, such as Serrano or Indian (finely chopped or minced)

2 tablespoons chopped green onion (white parts only, reserve the green parts for garnish)

2 tablespoons chopped onion

2 tablespoons chopped green bell pepper

½ teaspoon black pepper

¼ teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon ketchup

2 tablespoons soy sauce (Use tamari for gluten-free, or a mix of soy sauce and dark soy sauce for more flavor.)

1 tablespoon sambal oelek (or any Asian red chili sauce)

½ teaspoon vinegar (,white or rice vinegar)

¾ cup water (divided)

1 teaspoon cornstarch

Directions

Make the tofu chicken.

Press the tofu for 15 minutes (see notes on how to press) if you haven't already, then tear it into organic shapes. Add the tofu to a bowl, then add the soy sauce and toss well. In a small bowl, mix the garlic powder, black pepper, cornstarch, and rice flour. Sprinkle the mixture all over the tofu, then toss for a few seconds to coat evenly.

Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and add two teaspoons of oil. Once the oil is hot, add in the coated tofu. Do not add any extra flour from the bowl, just the tofu. Spread it out evenly in one layer and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Flip the tofu and continue to cook for another 2 to 3 minutes. Continue flipping until all sides of the tofu are golden and crisp, a total of 7 to 8 minutes.

Make the sauce.

Remove the tofu from the skillet, add another 2 teaspoons of oil, and reduce the heat to medium-low. Add in the chopped garlic, ginger, and green chili, and mix well. If the pan is too hot, remove it from the heat and let it cool slightly, then continue cooking over medium-low heat so the garlic doesn’t brown or burn. Cook until the garlic is golden, about 2 minutes. Mix in in the green onion whites, onion, green bell pepper, black pepper, and salt. Increase the heat to medium and cook for another 2 minutes.

Add in the ketchup, soy sauce, sambal oelek, vinegar, and ¼ cup of the water. Mix well, and bring to a boil. In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch with the remaining ½ cup water, then add it to the skillet. Bring to a boil, then taste and adjust salt and flavor. Add more pepper or heat if you like. You can also add a pinch of sugar to balance the flavors, if you like.

Once the sauce thickens, turn off the heat. Add in the crisp tofu, and toss well. Garnish with reserved green onion tops, and serve.

Nutrition

• Calories: 173 kcal
• Total Fat: 9 g
• Saturated Fat: 1 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
• Trans Fat: 0.01 g
• Sodium: 625 mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 14 g
• Dietary Fiber: 2 g
• Total Sugars: 2 g
• Protein: 10 g