Vegan Orange Tofu Recipes

ORANGE TOFU ~ AIR FRYER RECIPE

Steps:

• Drain the tofu and wrap it in a tea towel patting dry as much of the moisture as possible. Place a heavy pan on top and allow to press at room temperature for a couple of hours.
• Use your hands and tear the tofu into irregular 1.5 inch pieces. Sprinkle with the tapioca and a pinch of sea salt and toss to coat well.
• Place the tofu in the air-fryer tray without touching each other. Air fry at 400"F for 14 minutes tossing half way. Do not overcook the tofu or it will dry out too much. Remove it from the air fryer as soon as the time is up even if you aren't using it right away. (To avoid any crumbs falling in the bottom you can line the tray with parchment paper).
• Whisk all the glaze ingredients together until combined. Transfer to a skillet and bring to a simmer. Cook on medium flame until thick and sticky, about two minutes or so.
• Add the air fried tofu to the orange sauce and toss to coat well. Serve over noodles or a bed of rice garnished with the fresh chives, scallions, sesame seeds or extra red chili for heat.
• Coat the pressed tofu with a light spray of olive oil, a light dusting of tapioca or cornstarch and a good pinch of salt, pepper, garlic and onion powders. Place on a parchment covered baking sheet preferably without touching each other in one single layer. Bake the seasoned tofu in a preheated oven at 400"F for 30 to 35 minutes until golden and crispy to your liking flipping it half way. Toss with the orange glaze and serve.

ORANGE TOFU

Steps:

• Prepare the tofu by pressing the liquid out. HERE is my full guide on pressing tofu with AND without a tofu press. Once pressed, tear the tofu into large bite-sized chunks. Mine were all roughly an inch long and varied in size a little. Don't worry too much about the size and shape. The idea is for it to have rough edges to give the tofu a little more texture and to hold onto flavors a little better.
• Make the sauce by combining the orange juice, zest, vinegar, maple syrup, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, and a pinch of red pepper flakes to a bowl or large measuring cup. Whisk to combine.
• Place the tofu chunks into a large bowl and sprinkle on the cornstarch, a good pinch of fine sea salt, and freshly cracked black pepper. Toss to combine so that the tofu is mostly covered.
• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add in the tofu and cook for about 10 minutes, tossing often so that it gets browned on all sides.* Once done, remove tofu from the skillet and set aside.
• To the same skillet, add in the orange juice mixture and cook over medium heat, stirring often, for 4 minutes. Once it starts to thicken, add the tofu pieces back into the skillet and cook for 1 more minute.
• Serve with rice or your favorite side and ENJOY!

VEGAN ORANGE TOFU

Steps:

• Wrap the tofu block with absorbent paper and place it between two chopping boards, adding a few books on top of the top board to add pressure. Set aside 30 minutes to release all the tofu moisture.
• Cut the tofu block into cubes of (about 0.4 inches/1cm) or roughly pull apart the tofu to create irregular pieces of tofu - this mimics chicken texture the best!
• Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine all the marinade ingredients: olive oil, cornstarch, garlic powder, orange zest, and salt.
• Add the tofu chunks into the marinade and combine with a spoon.
• Lay the tofu pieces onto the prepared baking sheet into a single layer, make sure the tofu pieces don't touch each other or overlap.
• Bake on the center rack for 20-30 minutes, flipping them halfway. Meanwhile, prepare the curry sauce.
• Heat a large skillet or medium saucepan over medium-high heat.
• Over medium heat, melt coconut oil, then stir in garlic, ginger, and cook over low heat to prevent the garlic from burning. Cook until fragrant for about 1 minute.
• Add orange juice, brown sugar, rice vinegar, and soy sauce. Bring to a light simmer, occasionally stirring, until the sugar dissolves - about 2-3 minutes.
• Meanwhile, whisk water and cornstarch in a small mixing bowl. Whisk in the cornstarch slurry into the hot orange sauce and keep simmering, occasionally stirring, until the sauce thickens - about 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Toss the crispy hot tofu in the sauce until coated.
• Serve over cooked jasmine rice and garnish with scallions pieces or chili flakes to add a spicy touch.
• Store in the fridge in a sealed container for 3-4 days or freeze up to 3 months.

CRISPY ORANGE TOFU

Steps:

• Press the tofu and then chop it into 1/2-inch cubes. (See notes for how to press tofu)
• Stir together the flax, water, cornstarch, and flour in a bowl until combined. Add the tofu (in batches works best) and thoroughly coat each piece. Use a fork to remove tofu pieces and gently tap on the bowl to remove excess batter. Add a tablespoon of additional water if the batter gets too thick.
• Place a skillet over medium to medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil. Place 2 to 3 sheets of paper towels on a plate on the counter near your skillet.
• Use tongs to place half of the batter-coated tofu in the heated oil. Allow space between each piece for all the sides to get browned. Cook the tofu on each side until browned. Place finished pieces of tofu on the paper towels to drain any excess oil.
• Add a little more oil to the pan and repeat with the remaining tofu.
• In a small bowl, stir together the orange coating ingredients.
• Return the tofu to the pan and add gently stir in the orange coating. Cook over medium heat until thickened, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Prepare the sticky orange sauce by combining all the ingredients in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Stir to combine. Heat in the microwave in 30-second increments until thickened. It shouldn't take very long. If it gets too thick, add a little hot water and stir to incorporate.
• Serve the tofu over brown rice with additional chopped green onions, sticky orange sauce, and sesame seeds. A side of steamed broccoli goes nicely with this dish too!