There are a lot of »tofu friends« and »tofu haters« out there. I would say it’s a mix of 50:50 ;) Some don’t like it, because it is often associated with a vegan diet (and that might not work for them) – others only experienced tasteless and soggy tofu so far and don’t know how good it can be. Both groups should try this (Vegan) Orange Tofu with Rice. It is easy to prepare and really delicious!
There are probably a gazillion tofu recipes out there. I like a lot of them. If you prepare tofu properly, it’s really delicious. The perfect tofu for me is crispy (baked or cooked) with plenty of flavor. I don’t mind it being a bit softer though. That can also be a very nice experience. No matter if the tofu crispy or softer in your meal – it has to be seasoned well ;P
There are several ways to get your tofu nice and crispy. I like to bake it in the oven to get a pleasant crispy texture. It’s the easiest way to prepare it in my opinion. There are a few things you should keep in mind to get a nice result…
Make sure your tofu is dry before using it.
Tofu is naturally quite moist. To get a crispy result you need to get most of that moisture out before baking/cooking it. This can be done quite easily with some kitchen paper and a heavy object, such as a Dutch oven. Simply wrap the tofu with some kitchen paper and place the heavy object on top. The weight on top of the tofu squeezes out liquid and the paper absorbs everything (at best) ;)
Season and prepare the tofu properly.
Because tofu itself doesn’t have a lot of flavor, you need to season it properly. You can do this with a »dry rub« or with a marinade, for example. Marinating may sound a little counterproductive here because you’ve just tried to get all the liquid out of the tofu, but it works actually great. Ideally, you should give the tofu some time to »become friends« with the spices… make sure to give the tofu some time with the spices ;P
Cornstarch is your best friend when it comes to crispy tofu!
Whether you use dry or liquid seasoning – tofu should always be coated with cornstarch before baking or frying it. It absorbs more moisture from the tofu and makes sure you get a nice color and a crispy crust. If you marinated your tofu, more cornstarch sticks to the tofu pieces, and you get a thicker and crispier crust – that’s why I prefer this method ;)
The orange tofu here does not get too much flavor from the soy sauce tbh. The star of this dish is the orange sauce that brings »all the boys to the yard« ;P If you like Asian-inspired dishes you might think of orange chicken here… the inspiration for this dish ;)
I love orange chicken, but the vegan version without meat is no less delicious! The version with tofu gets very close to the original. If you do everything correctly. A warning though: depending on the oranges you use, the sauce can get a bit bitter. Orange peel contains a lot of bitter substances – sometimes more, sometimes less – depending on the type of oranges you have. If your oranges are somewhat bitter, you can/should counteract with sugar. Sometimes you will need more than listed in the recipe. Just so you know.
INGREDIENTS / ZUTATEN
(4 servings)
For the tofu:
14 oz. (400g) firm tofu
1 tbsp. vegetable oil
2 tbsp. soy sauce
3 tbsp. cornstarch
For the orange sauce:
1 tbsp. toasted sesame oil
3 garlic cloves, grated
1 tsp. ginger, grated
some chili flakes (optional)
1 cup (240ml) freshly squeezed orange juice (3-4 oranges)
2 tbsp. brown sugar (plus more, if needed)
1/4 cup (60ml) soy sauce
3 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp. zest of organic orange
1 tbsp. cornstarch
2 tbsp. cold water
For serving/decorating:
some cooked rice
some steamed or stir-fried veggies
1 spring onion, in rings
some sesame seeds
(4 Portionen)
Für den Tofu:
400g fester Tofu
1 EL neutrales Pflanzenöl
2 EL Sojasauce
3 EL Speisestärke
Für die Orangensauce:
1 EL geröstetes Sesamöl
3 Knoblauchzehen, gerieben
1 TL Ingwer, gerieben
einige Chiliflocken (optional)
240ml frisch gepresster Orangensaft (3-4 Orangen)
2 EL brauner Zucker (ggf. etwas mehr)
60ml Sojasauce
3 EL Apfelessig
1 EL Abrieb von Bio-Orange
1 EL Speisestärke
2 EL kaltes Wasser
Zum Servieren/Dekorieren (optional):
etwas gekochter Reis
etwas gedünstetes oder angebratenes Gemüse
1 Frühlingszwiebel, in Ringen
etwas Sesam
DIRECTIONS / ZUBEREITUNG
1. Start with preparing the tofu. Take it out of the package, wrap it in some kitchen paper, and place it on a plate. Place a heavy object (e.g. Dutch oven) on the tofu to get rid of some of the moisture/liquid inside the tofu. Let sit for about 15 minutes, then tear the tofu into bite-size pieces.
2. Preheat the oven to 430°F (220°C). Line a baking sheet with baking parchment and set aside. Mix the oil and soy sauce in a bowl, add the tofu pieces, and mix to combine. Sprinkle the cornstarch on top and mix again until the tofu is evenly coated. Transfer to the baking sheet, spread out, and bake/toast in the upper third of the oven for about 30 minutes – flip the tofu halfway through the baking time, so it gets crispy and browned from all sides.
3. For the orange sauce heat up a non-stick pan with the sesame oil. Add the grated garlic, ginger, and chili flakes (optional) and sauté for a moment. Deglaze with the orange juice, add the brown sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, and orange zest – mix and let come back to a boil. Reduce the heat and let the sauce simmer for 3-4 minutes. Mix the cornstarch with water, add to the sauce, and mix in – continue cooking the sauce until thickened nicely.
4. Prepare some rice and veggies (optional). Add the crispy tofu to the orange sauce and mix until the tofu is coated nicely with the sauce. Serve the orange tofu with the rice and veggies. Sprinkle with some spring onion rings and sesame seeds (optional).
1. Den Tofu aus der Verpackung nehmen und in Küchenpapier wickeln – auf einen Teller legen und einen schweren Gegenstand (z.B. Kochtopf) auf den Tofu setzen, um möglichst viel Feuchtigkeit aus dem Tofu herauszudrücken. Die Konstruktion etwa 15 Minuten stehen lassen, dann den Tofu in mundgerechte Stücke zerbrechen.
2. Den Ofen auf 220°C (430°F) Ober-/Unterhitze vorheizen. Ein Backblech mit Backpapier auslegen und zur Seite stellen. Öl und Sojasauce in einer Schüssel verrühren, die Tofustücke dazugeben und alles gut vermengen. Die Stärke über den Tofu streuen und erneut mischen, bis der Tofu gleichmäßig mit der Stärke bedeckt ist. Auf dem Backblech verteilen und im oberen Drittel des Ofens etwa 30 Minuten backen/anrösten. Den Tofu nach der Hälfte der Backzeit einmal wenden, damit er von allen Seiten knusprig und gebräunt wird.
3. Für die Orangensauce eine beschichtete Pfanne mit etwas Sesamöl erhitzen. Den geriebenen Knoblauch, Ingwer und Chiliflocken (optional) hinzugeben und kurz anschwitzen lassen. Mit dem Orangensaft ablöschen, braunen Zucker, Sojasauce, Essig und Orangenschale dazugeben, alles gut verrühren und einmal aufkochen lassen. Die Hitzezufuhr reduzieren und die Orangensauce etwa 3-4 Minuten leicht köcheln lassen. Die Speisestärke mit dem kalten Wasser glatt rühren, zur Sauce geben und unterrühren – die Sauce sollte schön andicken.
4. Reis und Gemüse vorbereiten (optional). Den knusprigen Tofu aus dem Ofen in die Orangensauce geben und alles gut vermengen, damit der Tofu komplett mit der Sauce überzogen ist. Orangentofu mit Reis und Gemüse servieren. Mit Frühlingszwiebelringen und etwas Sesam dekorieren (optional).
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Here is a version of the recipe you can print easily.
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Easy Orange Tofu (vegan)
- Prep Time: 00:20
- Cook Time: 00:30
- Total Time: 01:20
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Cuisine: International
- Diet: Vegan
Description
If you like Orange Chicken you might want to try this dish here as well: Orange Tofu is the vegan version of this popular dish that also has a lot of fans ;)
Ingredients
For the tofu:
14 oz. (400g) firm tofu
1 tbsp. vegetable oil
2 tbsp. soy sauce
3 tbsp. cornstarch
For the orange sauce:
1 tbsp. toasted sesame oil
3 garlic cloves, grated
1 tsp. ginger, grated
some chili flakes (optional)
1 cup (240ml) freshly squeezed orange juice (3-4 oranges)
2 tbsp. brown sugar (plus more, if needed)
1/4 cup (60ml) soy sauce
3 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp. zest of organic orange
1 tbsp. cornstarch
2 tbsp. cold water
For serving/decorating:
some cooked rice
some steamed or stir-fried veggies
1 spring onion, in rings
some sesame seeds
Instructions
1. Start with preparing the tofu. Take it out of the package, wrap it in some kitchen paper, and place it on a plate. Place a heavy object (e.g. Dutch oven) on the tofu to get rid of some of the moisture/liquid inside the tofu. Let sit for about 15 minutes, then tear the tofu into bite-size pieces.
2. Preheat the oven to 430°F (220°C). Line a baking sheet with baking parchment and set aside. Mix the oil and soy sauce in a bowl, add the tofu pieces, and mix to combine. Sprinkle the cornstarch on top and mix again until the tofu is evenly coated. Transfer to the baking sheet, spread out, and bake/toast in the upper third of the oven for about 30 minutes – flip the tofu halfway through the baking time, so it gets crispy and browned from all sides.
3. For the orange sauce heat up a non-stick pan with the sesame oil. Add the grated garlic, ginger, and chili flakes (optional) and sauté for a moment. Deglaze with the orange juice, add the brown sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, and orange zest – mix and let come back to a boil. Reduce the heat and let the sauce simmer for 3-4 minutes. Mix the cornstarch with water, add to the sauce, and mix in – continue cooking the sauce until thickened nicely.
4. Prepare some rice and veggies (optional). Add the crispy tofu to the orange sauce and mix until the tofu is coated nicely with the sauce. Serve the orange tofu with the rice and veggies. Sprinkle with some spring onion rings and sesame seeds (optional).
Notes
Make something amazing in the kitchen!
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