By Jeannette Ordas of
Everybody likes Sandwiches
I
like spicy foods so this spicy orange peel tofu meal is pretty close to
perfection for me. Actually, I may have gone a bit overboard on the
spice.
See
this bowl? It may look relatively harmless but it's full of spicy
goodness. Sriracha and me are tight, but maybe I went a bit nuts here.
But don't worry, I've cut back on the amount listed in the recipe below
so you don't have to burn your face off while eating dinner like I did.
But still, burning my face off was worth it. So good! There's a lot of
chili-garlic sauce in here, but I don't find it that spicy. Open a jar
(you can find it at most asian groceries or check the asian aisle of
your local supermarket) and take a big sniff. It's made of magic and I
love how complex and delicious it smells.
This
dinner was made a while back when blood oranges were in season. Aren't
they gorgeous? But don't worry, regular oranges work just fine too. Add
in any vegetables you have on hand: carrot coins, cauliflower or
broccoli florets, asparagus spears...this is one of those flexible
recipes, so work with what you've got on hand!
Oh
look! This is what my tiny, 1982 kitchen looked like when I made this
meal. Messy and full o' tasty action! Let's look at a pretty close-up
instead!
Ahhh, much better.
Spicy Orange Peel Tofu
juice & zest from 1 orange (I used a blood orange, but any orange will do)
1/2 cup vegetable stock
3 tablespoons orange marmalade
2 tablespoons chili-garlic paste
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon sriracha (or more if you are crazy, way less if you're not!)
a few drops of roasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 block extra firm tofu, cut into 1" cubes
1/2 onion, sliced
2 tablespoons french ginger, minced
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups assorted chopped vegetables
1/4 cup frozen peas (optional)
toasted sesame seeds (optional)
In
a medium bowl, whisk together the orange juice, stock, marmalade,
chili-garlic paste, soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil and sriracha. In a
small bowl, mix cornstarch with 1 tablespoon cold water and use a fork
to whisk. Add cornstarch mixture into the orange sauce and stir to
combine. Set aside.
Heat oil in a large skillet and add
in tofu until fry until golden. Add in onion, ginger, and garlic and
stir until fragrant. Add in your vegetables and let them cook under
bright and crisp-tender, just a few minutes depending on what vegetables
you use. Pour orange sauce over vegetables and tofu, stir in frozen
peas (if using), and bring to a boil for a minute or two until
thickened. Serve over rice and garnish with toasted sesame seeds, if
desired.
