Name: Kung Pao Style Diced Tofu with Peanuts
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 32 min
Yield: 3 servings
Cuisine: Sichuan
Ingredients: 1 block (14 oz) extra-firm tofu, pressed and cut into 1/2-inch dice; 1 tbsp plus 1 tsp cornstarch, divided; 3 tbsp peanut oil, divided; 10 dried red chilies, snipped in half, seeds shaken out; 1 tsp sichuan peppercorns; 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced; 1 tbsp fresh ginger, thinly sliced; 2 long green chilies, cut into 1/2-inch pieces; 4 scallions, white parts cut into 1/2-inch pieces; 1/2 cup roasted unsalted peanuts; 2 tbsp chinese black vinegar; 1 1/2 tbsp light soy sauce; 1 tsp dark soy sauce; 1 tbsp sugar; 1 tbsp shaoxing wine; 3 tbsp water

Kung Pao Style Diced Tofu with Peanuts

4.8 from 411 home cooks Free

Small cubes of pressed tofu fried until chewy at the edges and tossed in a tangy, gently sweet sauce with dried red chilies, tingling Sichuan peppercorns, green chili and roasted peanuts. Fast and fiery, it hits the table in about half an hour, and a dish of cool pickled cucumbers on the side is its natural partner.

Prep

20 min

Cook

12 min

Total

32 min

Serves

Level

Medium

Cuisine

Sichuan

Method

Step 1: Stir the black vinegar, light and dark soy sauces, sugar, Shaoxing wine, water and 1 tsp cornstarch together in a small bowl until the sugar dissolves. Keep it by the stove, because the stir-fry moves quickly.
Step 2: Pat the tofu cubes dry and toss with the remaining 1 tbsp cornstarch. Heat 2 tbsp of the oil in a wok over medium-high heat and fry the tofu, turning occasionally, for 6 to 8 minutes, until golden and firm on all sides, then tip onto a plate.
Step 3: Lower the heat to medium-low and add the remaining oil, the dried chilies and the Sichuan peppercorns. Stir 30 to 45 seconds, until the chilies darken to deep burgundy and the oil smells toasty, pulling the wok off the heat if they start to blacken.
Step 4: Turn the heat to high, add the garlic, ginger, green chilies and scallion whites, and stir-fry for 1 minute until fragrant.
Step 5: Return the tofu to the wok, give the sauce a quick stir, and pour it in. Toss for 30 to 60 seconds, until the sauce bubbles into a glossy coating that clings to each cube.
Step 6: Turn off the heat, fold in the peanuts at the very end so they stay crunchy, and serve at once with steamed rice.

Kitchen note

Blooming the dried chilies and peppercorns in oil that is only moderately hot pulls their aroma into the fat that coats every cube; smoking oil would scorch them bitter in seconds.