I love remaking some of my favorite dishes from Chinese restaurants. Whether it’s lo mein, chow mein, General Tso’s tofu, or Kung Pao tofu, recreating these classic dishes is always a fun challenge, and I always end up with a delicious dinner at the end of the process. Szechuan tofu is a dish that I’ve ordered so many times and absolutely loved, but never got around to tackling until now. Szechuan cuisine is known for spicy, bold flavors, with generous use of aromatics, so I was a little intimidated at the prospect of attempting to capture that level of deliciousness in a recipe of my own. I’m happy to say that this turned out to be a seriously scrumptious tofu stir-fry — every bit as delicious as those I’ve gotten in restaurants. It’s pretty easy to make too! The key is heavy use of pungent spices and flavors like garlic, ginger, Chinese five spice, and Szechuan peppercorns. Read on to learn about exactly what you’ll need and how to throw this flavor-packed meal together.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Soy sauce. Tamari or liquid aminos can be substituted if needed. Brown sugar. Use organic brown sugar to keep the recipe vegan. Conventional sugar is often processed using animal bone char. Sambal oelek. This is a spicy red chili paste that can be found in the international aisle of most supermarkets. The recipe gives you some leeway as to how much you’d like to use, depending on your spice preference. If you’re unsure, start with less and add more when the dish has finished cooking. Sriracha sauce can be substituted if samabal oelek isn’t available. Toasted sesame oil. Look for this in the international aisle of your grocery store. Garlic. Ginger. Cornstarch. Chinese five spice. This is a mix of cinnamon, cloves, star anise, fennel and Szechuan peppercorns. Most stores carry it in the spice aisle. Peanut oil. You can use another high-heat oil if you prefer, such as vegetable oil, canola oil, or corn oil. Super firm-tofu. Extra-firm tofu will also work in this recipe, but it will need to be pressed before cooking. Red bell pepper. Scallions. You might also know these as green onions. Szechuan peppercorns. Look for these in the international section of the grocery store, or try an Asian market. (An alternative spelling of their name is Sichuan peppercorns.) Black peppercorns can be substituted in a pinch, but will give your stir-fry a slightly different flavor. Toasted sesame seeds. Cooked rice. Noodles are a great alternative if you’re not up for rice.
Tip: Dried red chile peppers are another ingredient that you’ll find in authentic Szechuan tofu. I prefer to use sambal oelek because it gives me more control over the heat level, but feel free to go with dried chiles if you’d like. Add them at the same time as the Szechuan peppercorns.
How It’s Made
The following is a detailed photo tutorial on how to make this dish. Scroll all the way down if you’d like to skip right to the recipe! Tip: Cook your tofu in batches if you can’t fit it all in a single layer in the bottom of your wok. Take the wok off of heat and add toasted sesame seeds and the green parts of your scallions. Your Szechuan tofu is read to enjoy! Pile it onto plates with some rice and dig in.
Prep-Ahead Tips
The sauce can be mixed in advance and stored in an airtight container in the fridge. The bell pepper can be chopped in advance and stored in an airtight container in the fridge.
Leftovers & Storage
Leftover Szechuan tofu will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for three to four days.
More Tofu Stir-Fries
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