Sweet and Sour Tofu

SWEET AND SOUR Tofu

One of my favourite Chinese takeaway dishes is sweet and sour. I have always had a sweet tooth and the combination with savoury ingredients always hit the spot.

I have veganised and cleaned up the takeaway classic and in my opinion it is as good as anything you can get from a takeaway

INGREDIENTS

For the sauce

• 150ml vegetable stock

• 1 tbsp light soy sauce

• 2 tsp dark soy sauce

• 1tsp sesame oil

• 25 ml cider vinegar

• 2 tsp coconut sugar

• 2 tbsp tomato ketchup 

• 2 tsp cornflour

For the marinade 

• 280g extra firm tofu

• 1 tbsp shaoxing rice wine or sherry 

• 1 tablespoon light soy sauce

• 1 teaspoon sesame oil

• 1 tsp garlic powder

• 1 tsp cornflour (corn starch)

  1 tbsp olive oil

  1 red pepper roughly chopped

  1 large carrot sliced thinly

  150- 200g fresh chopped pineapple 

  2 spring onions finely chopped

METHOD

1. Dice the tofu into 1.5 cm cubes. Combine the marinade ingredients in a large bowl or plastic food bag and leave to marinate for 20 minutes or more.

2. Heat the oven to 220c. Take the tofu out of the marinade, letting any excess marinade to drip off and place on a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper. Place in the oven and cook for 15-20 minutes, turning halfway through cooking. When cooked the tofu should be slightly crisp but still soft.

3. While the tofu is cooking, heat a large frying pan or wok over a medium/high heat. When the pan is hot add the olive oil, followed by the carrots. Cook for about 4 minutes, turning halfway through cooking, after 4 minutes add the pepper and cook to your liking, crunch or soft. 

4. Once the pepper is cooked take the pan off the heat. Combine all the ingredients for the sauce except the cornflour. Put the pan with the carrots and pepper in back on the hob, over a medium heat and add the sauce to the pan. Combine the 2 tsp of cornflour with 1 tbsp water. Mix well then add the the pan and stir. This will thicken the sauce. Bring the sauce to a simmer then add the pineapple. Warm through then add the cooked tofu and spring onion. Serve with rice and some stir fried greens.