IT’S ALLLLLLLL ABOUT THAT ZEST!

After trying and trying and trying to find an orange tofu recipe that tasted like one I ordered at the Roots vegan restaurant in Louisville, KY, I wanted to give up. Nothing I tried tasted as orange-y and as yummy.

So, I made up my own recipe and it’s AMAZING! One thing that lacked in all the recipes I tried was orange zest. It adds the exactly flavor I was looking for.

The flavor of any fruit zest is much more concentrated and is a great thing to try when you need more flavor. I love using lemon zest in lemon cakes. It always adds so much more lemony goodness!

I also added more orange juice than most recipes call for. If you like any kind of orange tasting ethnic foods, you’ll love this!

See the Tips and Tricks section below the recipe for some helpful recipe ideas and substitutions.

Servings: 4-5

Preparation + Cooking Time: 60 minutes

Suggested kitchen tools: measuring spoons, measuring cup, parchment paper, a large baking tray, spatula, medium sized sauce pan, 2 mixing bowls, large plate, small mixing bowl, whisk, zester OR a small holed cheese grater

Tofu:

• 16 oz. package of Extra Firm tofu (I used Twin Oaks because it does not need to be pressed. See the Tips and Tricks section below the recipe for what to do if you use unpressed tofu)

• 6 tablespoons corn starch

• 1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk (or your choice plant based milk)

• 1 cup panko breakcrumbs (use gluten free if you need to)

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• black pepper

Orange Sauce:

• 1/2 cup low sodium vegetable broth

• 1 cup orange juice (either bottled OR fresh juice from 4-5 oranges)

• 1 orange (for the zest and juice)

• 1/2 cup coconut sugar

• 1/3 cup seasoned rice vinegar

• 1/4 cup tamari or liquid aminos

• 2 cloves of garlic, pressed

• 1/4 teaspoon ginger (powdered)

• 1 teaspoon sriracha or hot sauce

• 2 tablespoons corn starch or arrowroot powder

Optional: 2 cups cooked white rice

How-To:

1. Heat the oven to 425 degrees (F)

2. Line a baking tray with parchment paper

3. Make the tofu: Cut it into 1 inch cubes. Set aside.

4. Place 6 tablespoons corn starch in one mixing bowl.

5. Pour the plant based milk into another mixing bowl.

6. Place the breadcrumbs onto a large plate. Gently mix with the olive oil, salt and a bit of pepper.

7. Create an assembly line style set up to coat your tofu: Put the cubed tofu on one end of your counter, then place the cornstarch filled bowl next to it. Place the plant based milk next to the cornstarch. Place the breadcrumb mixture plate next to the cornstarch. Place the parchment lined tray next to the breadcrumb mixture.

8. Using your right hand, pick up a piece of tofu. Roll it in the cornstarch. Then drop it into the milk.

9. Use your left hand to coat it with milk. Then place it on the breadcrumb plate. Use your right hand to roll it in the breadcrumbs and place it on the parchment lined baking tray. (Using both hands this way prevents your fingers from getting too sticky and crumbed up….trust me-I saw it on a cooking show and it works!)

10. Continue coating your tofu using the assembly line process until it’s all coated.

11. Place the tray with the coated tofu into the oven for 25 minutes, then flip and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes or until it’s golden brown.

12. If you are making rice, start cooking it now according to the package directions.

13. Make the orange sauce: Place the vegetable broth, orange juice, sugar, rice vinegar, liquid aminos, pressed garlic, ginger and sriracha into a medium sized sauce pan. Zest the entire orange into the mixture (use a zester or a small-holed cheese grater) and stir to combine.

14. Cook on high heat until it boils (3-5 minutes). While waiting for it to boil, squeeze the orange you zested into a small mixing bowl (about 1/4 cup of juice). Add 2 tablespoons cornstarch to the juice and whisk to combine.

15. Once the sauce boils, lower the heat to medium high and add the cornstarch and juice mixture. Heat until the sauce thickens, about 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

16. To serve: Either toss the baked tofu in the sauce OR serve the sauce on the side OR drizzle it over the tofu. Serve on top of rice and add some stir fried red and green peppers if you wish.

17. Eat and enjoy!

Tips and Tricks:

• I found all my ingredients for this recipe at Whole Foods

• Keep leftovers refrigerated in a sealed container. It won’t be as crispy if you microwave it, but will still taste good. You can re-heat them in a skillet to crisp them up again.

• Purchased tofu that was sitting in water? You’ll need to press the water out. Either use a tofu press OR use paper towels to press most of the water out. You can also sandwich the tofu in some paper towels and set a heavy plate on top of it and let it sit for about 30 minutes.

• Want some veggies too? Add some stir fried red and green peppers to the tofu and sauce mixture.

Did you make this recipe or have feedback? Leave me a comment or fill out the form below!

I also love to hear how people made my recipes their own! Post it to social media and tag it #carolynsdailydishes or @carolynsbloomingcreations