Kung Pao Tofu

From EatingWell: March/April 2008 — Subscribe Now!

Tofu and lots of fresh vegetables are stir-fried in just a bit of oil in this traditional Chinese dish. In the Sichuan province of China where this dish originates, the tofu wouldn't be deep-fried like it is so often in America. Similarly, in our version of this takeout favorite we stir-fry the ingredients in only a little bit of oil.

READER'S COMMENT:

"We got to the asian market weekly and had all the ingredients in our pantry, this was really awful, no heat at all, blandsville. Wouldn't' recommend it, it needs major rework with like 5 dried chiles or add a teaspoon of red pepper flakes...

Comments

Comment	Posted
We got to the asian market weekly and had all the ingredients in our pantry, this was really awful, no heat at all, blandsville. Wouldn't' recommend it, it needs major rework with like 5 dried chiles or add a teaspoon of red pepper flakes and I don't have the patience to tinker with it, there are way better tofu recipes on this site and kungpao recipes out there on the web.	1 week 1 day ago
Particularly dull! There are certainly better ways to jazz this up. The sauce has no depth and the dish is very light on garlic and ginger. It needs some Sichuan peppercorns to give it some punch. shen, Berkeley, CA	8 weeks 4 days ago
Based on the other comments (thanks everyone), we added crushed red pepper flakes along with the ginger and garlic to give it that punch we expect with Kung Pao. It did the trick. Jordan, Long Beach, CA	8 weeks 4 days ago
It was good. Make sure and marinade the tofu in the sauce and then make another batch of sauce to add to veggies. Also Spice oil should not be optional! Vivienne, Dexter, MO	8 weeks 4 days ago
I make Asian dishes often and loved this, as did my Chinese friend, although I made several changes based on what I had available, so the result was not an authentic Kung Pao but it turned out wonderfully, not bland at all! As one cook suggested, I marinated the drained and diced tofu with the 5-spice and a splash a soy sauce ahead of time. I increased the ginger and garlic by about half. I added some thin sliced celery to the vege selection. I substituted about 2 tsp. of black bean paste (Asian markets have it, a staple) for the oyster sauce with about a 1/2 tsp. of toasted dark sesame oil and a pinch of sugar in the cornstarch mix. I did not have hot chili oil either but sprinkled in cayenne for the "hot" to taste. Essential was adding 4 finely chopped spring onions (scallions) with the peanuts at the end and then garnishing with minced Chinese parsley (cilantro), delicious served over basmati rice. I know, not the same recipe as presented, but totally inspired from it and a keeper. red, Eugene, OR	8 weeks 4 days ago
I thought this was delicious. For those who thought it was bland, you obviously didn't add the hot sesame oil. Also try adding more veggies, anything you want. Mushrooms would go great with it. You aren't restricted to what the recipe lists. Be creative. That said, I followed the recipe and everyone in the family - even those not crazy about tofu - really liked it. Helen, San Fran, CA	8 weeks 4 days ago
Sorry but I just tried making this dish and it needed more oil. To fry something for 7-9 minutes, tofu, and then the peppers and broccoli after that for another 4 minutes with a total of 1 tlbs of oil is a disaster. I may try again but this time with a little more oil. Mark C, Buffalo, NY	8 weeks 4 days ago
Terrific dish--we've made this several times and always enjoy it. The hot sesame oil is a must. This is a fast and healthful recipe. Susan, OH	8 weeks 4 days ago
We rarely eat out so don't know what kung pao is supposed to taste like, but we found this dish colorful and satisfying. My husband usually eats broccoli only because it's healthful, he doesn't approve of cooked tofu, and he hates garlic. Yet he was disappointed that I hadn't made enough Kung Pao Tofu for second helpings. Anonymous, Bellingham, WA	8 weeks 4 days ago
I think the reason everyone's saying the recipe is bland is because it doesn't ask you to marinate the tofu. I chopped it into cubes and marinated it in soy sauce; pineapple and orange juice; mirin; some of the 5-spice powder; and salt for about 5 hours. I also used the sesame oil in the end. It turned out great! I definitely want to make this again! Ali, Auburn, AL	8 weeks 4 days ago