VEGETARIAN KUNG PAO CHICKEN RECIPES

Steps:

• Make the Soy Curls. Preheat the oven to 400F (205 C). If using store-bought, simply reconstitute them in hot water for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, wring them very dry and spread them out on a parchment-lined baking tray. Optionally, toss them in ~1 tablespoon of oil. Bake for 15 minutes. For homemade soy curls, start by combining okara (soybean pulp), vital wheat gluten, and water in a large bowl. Mix well; you should get a loosely-packed lump of dough that will stick together when you squeeze tightly. Add all-purpose flour and knead for 5-7 minutes to develop gluten. Portion the dough by pinching chunks out and shaping into desired shapes — in this case, nuggets that are 3-4 cm in length. Spread them out on a parchment-lined baking tray and optionally, toss them in ~1 tablespoon of oil. Bake for 15 minutes, or until their surfaces are adequately dry and firm (but not crispy).
• Make the Marinade / Sauce. In a bowl, combine light soy sauce, black vinegar, shaoxing wine, dark soy sauce, mushroom bouillon, sugar, fine salt, corn starch, and water. Mix until no lumps remain, and add the soy curls. Let the soy curls marinate for 15 minutes. Once time is up, take out the soy curls and wring them dry of excess marinade.
• Make the Stir-Fry. In a wok/pan, heat up ~2 tablespoons of vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Note: Don't skimp on the oil here; you'll need a good amount since the soy curls have basically no fat. Add dried chiles and Sichuan peppercorns and fry until fragrant, about 5 seconds. Note: Dried chiles and Sichuan peppercorns love to burn here, so be very careful. I usually let the chiles and peppercorns soak for a little bit in cool/warm water to prevent scorching. Add the soy curls and stir-fry to get some good browning, about 1-2 minutes. Follow with garlic and ginger and stir-fry until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Finish with scallion segments, peanuts, and the marinade / sauce. Stir-fry for about 1 minute more to thicken the sauce & infuse all of its flavors. Serve immediately. This goes really well with some freshly-steamed white rice.

Steps:

• Use a tofu press or DIY pressing method to squeeze any excess liquid out of the tofu.
• While your tofu is pressing, prep your veggies.
• Once the tofu has been pressed, transfer it to a cutting board, place the block on its side, and slice it lengthwise. Next, flip it back over to lie flat and cut the tofu into 32 equal-sized cubes, roughly 1-2” each.
• Arrange the tofu cubes in a shallow container, so that they make one even layer.
• Place the tofu to one side and combine 2 tbsp of soy sauce with 2 tbsp of cornstarch in a small bowl. Whisk them together, then pour the sauce over the tofu.
• Flip the tofu cubes to ensure all sides are well coated in the marinade, then leave to sit while you make the Kung Pao sauce.
• Take a medium bowl and add the remaining ¼ cup of soy sauce, ½ cup of water, and the remaining 1 tbsp of cornstarch. Next, add the vinegar, sherry, brown sugar, and Sambal (I would recommend using a maximum of 3 tsp of Sambal if you like your sauce spicy, but start with less and add more to taste).
• Whisk the sauce ingredients together until thoroughly combined.
• Place a large skillet or wok over medium heat and add 2 tbsp of sesame oil.
• Once the sesame oil is warm, add the marinated tofu cubes, being careful of splattering oil.
• Fry the tofu for 8-10 minutes, occasionally flipping and stirring to ensure it cooks evenly and get nice and crispy on all sides.
• Once all sides of the tofu cubes are browned, remove the cubes from the heat and set to one side.
• Add the final tbsp of sesame oil to the hot pan, then add the ginger, garlic, and scallion whites and sauté for 30 seconds.
• Increase the heat to high, then place the zucchini and peppers in the pan.
• Cook the veggies for 3-4 minutes, occasionally stirring, then add the tofu and sauce to the pan.
• Stir-fry everything for 2-4 minutes. The sauce should thicken, and all the ingredients should be well coated.
• Serve hot, sprinkled with the halved peanuts and scallion greens.