Kung Pao Tofu Rice
Kung Pao Tofu Rice, healthy take on a Chinese takeout that is loaded with veggies like fresh onions and peppers, crunchy peanuts, sweet and spicy sauces and fresh herbs like cilantro and scallions!
Kung Pao SOMETHING, also known as Gong Bao or Kung Po, is a spicy, stir-fried Chinese dish made with some kind of protein, peanuts, vegetables, and chili peppers. Being a vegetarian, I like to make this dish with tofu. When you get this dish at restaurants, they serve it with side of rice. So I though why not just make this dish with rice inside?!?!
This dish is loaded with crunchy veggies like onions and peppers, crunchy peanuts, sweet and spicy asian sauces, fresh herbs like cilantro, scallions, ginger and garlic along with some whole dry red chilis! This is a complete nutritious dish! It has decent amount of carbs and protein along with some fiber. It is also a good one for prepping ahead. If you have leftover steamed rice, prepared tofu and chopped vegetables handy, this dish would come together within minutes! Which makes it a perfect weeknight meal!
This is our family favorite dish which is naturally plant-based, gluten-free and dairy-free. If you end up making it and liking it as much as we do, tag me on Instagram @myvegetarianroots. I would love to see your recreation of this goodie!
Happy and Healthy Eating!
Kung Pao Tofu Rice
Ingredients
Flavored Tofu
- 16 oz Firm or Extra Firm Tofu
- 1 tsp Dark Soy Sauce
- 1 tbsp Hoisin Sauce
- 1 tbsp Sriracha Sauce
- ¼ tsp Black Pepper
- 1 tbsp Oil
Fried Rice
- 3 cup Steamed Rice
- 1 cup Cubed Onions
- 3 cup Cubed Multi Color Peppers
- 1 tbsp Minced Garlic
- 1 tbsp Grated Ginger
- ¼ tsp Salt
- ½ tsp Pepper
- 1 tbsp Dark Soy Sauce
- 2 tbsp Hoisin Sauce
- 1 tbsp Sriracha Sauce
- ½ cup Salted Roasted Peanut
- 2 tbsp Oil
- ¼ cup Scallions
- ¼ cup Cilantro
- 5 Dry Whole Red Chilis 5 small or 3 large
Instructions
Saute Tofu
- Take tofu out of the box and wrap it in couple of paper towels for anywhere from 30-40 minutes. Place a Weight on the wrapped tofu. Your weight should be heavy enough to press down evenly across the top of the tofu, but not so heavy so as to cause the tofu block to crumble.
- Once the extra water if gone from the tofu, cut them in cube and saute them in 2 tbsp of oil on medium heat until they get golden brown and somewhat crispy, tossing and turning them every few minutes. Be careful while tossing and turning so it does not crumble.
- Once tofu cubes are golden brown on each side, add dark soy sauce, hoisin sauce, sriracha sauce and black pepper powder. Mix well and keep it aside.
Make Fried Rice
- Heat oil in a pan. Saute minced garlic, grated ginger and whole dry red chilis.
- Once raw smell of garlic is gone, add cubed onions and peppers.
- Cook/char them on high heat for couple of minutes so that they are partially cooked with some crunch.
- Add hoisin sauce, sriracha sauce, soy sauce, salt and black pepper powder. Mix well.
- Add steamed rice. Mix well making sure the rice does not break. Let it cook for couple of minutes.
- Turn the heat off. Add sautéd tofu and salted roasted peanuts to the rice. Mix well.
- Garnish it with chopped cilantro and scallions.. Serve it hot!
