Stir-fried crispy tofu and peppers in tomato garlic sauce

This stir-fried tofu and peppers in tomato & garlic sauce comes together in minutes and tastes miles better than takeout! A great vegetarian midweek meal.

Post in collaboration with Lee Kum Kee

Let’s talk Chinese food… outside of China that is. I LOVE it but I haven’t been able to find any decent takeaway (or takeout if you prefer) in my area, much as I have tried. And I HAVE tried… 

It’s not that London doesn’t have really good Chinese food… it’s that it has somehow skipped my little corner of South East London. I must been totally spoiled by my short stint living in New York, where cheap and delicious Chinese takeout is available everywhere.

So I will indulge myself by making some dishes myself and when I do, I rely on Lee Kum Kee products… My love of their chiu chow chilli oil is well documented. I really do add it on practically all my savoury dishes, including breakfast ones!

Lee Kum Kee have some 130 years of experience making authentic Chinese sauces and the great news is that they have relaunched their stir fry sauce range making fakeaways easier and more delicious than ever before.

There are four flavours available: Tomato & Garlic, Black Bean & Garlic, Kung Pao Chicken and Honey & Soy. I have tried and loved them all and I have created a very quick and easy recipe using the Tomato & Garlic sauce.

Making crispy tofu

Step 1. Ever since I tried crispy tofu at a restaurant I have been totally obsessed with it! It adds a few minutes to this super-easy recipe, but it’s so delicious I think you will forgive me. Remove a block of extra firm tofu from its packaging and drain any liquid. Place on a shallow plate lined with kitchen towel, cover with another sheet of kitchen towel and weigh down with a heavy skillet (or something equally weighty). 

Step 2. Leave for 30 mins – the tofu will release more liquid. Remove the weight and pat the tofu dry. Cut into small cubes, season with salt and toss in cornflour (cornstarch) until coated on all sides.

Step 3. Heat oil in a large wok or frying pan until the oil coats the bottom of the pan. Add the tofu, it should sizzle when it hits the oil, and fry for couple of minutes per side or until golden and crispy. Set aside to dry on a wire rack.

Making stir-fried tofu and peppers in tomato garlic sauce

Step 1. Once you have made the crispy tofu, this is easy as pie (only much easier). Add the chopped onion in the same pan and fry for a couple of minutes.

Step 2. Add the chopped peppers and continue to cook for a couple of minutes until the peppers start to soften.

Step 3. Add the garlic, chilli and ginger, mix in and then add the crispy tofu and spring onions. Stir fry for two minutes and then add the Lee Kum Kee Tomato & Garlic stir fry sauce. Stir to combine then cover the pan for three minutes.

Step 4. Remove the lid, stir and add the udon noodles and a splash of Lee Kum Kee light soy sauce, tossing to combine in the sauce. Take off the heat and sprinkle with the black sesame seeds.

Step 5. Divide between two bowls and serve immediately, garnished with some fresh basil.

Have you made my Stir fried crispy tofu and peppers in tomato garlic sauce?

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Try these Asian-inspired recipes

• One-pot Chinese chicken and rice
• Spicy beef mince stir fry with eggplant and mushrooms
• Pressure cooker Vietnamese beef stew
• Spicy Korean crispy lamb with udon noodles

Stir-fried crispy tofu and peppers in tomato garlic sauce

Lucy Parissi

This stir-fried tofu and peppers in tomato & garlic sauce comes together in minutes and tastes miles better than takeout! 

5 from 8 votes

Print Rate

Course: Main

Cuisine: Chinese

Keyword: crispy tofu, tofu stir fry

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Servings: 2

Calories: 888kcal

Ingredients

Crispy tofu

• 350 g | 12oz block of extra firm tofu
• 2 tbsp cornstarch
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1/2 tsp salt to season

For the stir fry

• 300 g | 10 1/2 oz straight-to-wok udon noodles
• 1 large onion finely diced
• 3 bell peppers green, red, orange, seeded and diced
• 2 garlic cloves mince
• 1/2 tbsp minced fresh ginger
• 1 red chilli, finely diced
• 1 pack Lee Kum Kee Tomato & Garlic sauce
• 1/2 tbsp Lee Kum Kee light soy sauce
• 8 spring onions (scallions) sliced diagonally
• 1 tbsp Black sesame seeds to garnish
• Fresh basil to garnish (optional)

Instructions

Make the crispy tofu

• Remove a block of extra firm tofu from its packaging and drain and liquid.
• Place on a kitchen towel lined shallow plate, cover with another sheet of kitchen towel and weigh down with a heavy skillet (or something equally weighty).
• Leave for 30 mins – the tofu will release more liquid. Remove the weight and pat the tofu dry.
• Cut into small cubes, season with salt and toss in cornflour (cornstarch) until coated on all sides.
• Heat the oil in a large wok or frying pan until the oil coats the bottom of the pan.
• Add the tofu, it should sizzle when it hits the oil, and fry for couple of minutes per side or until golden and crispy. Set aside to dry on a wire rack.

Make the stir fry

• Put the udon noodles in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Leave to soften for a couple of minutes then drain and set aside.
• Add the chopped onion in the same pan and fry for a couple of minutes.
• Add the chopped peppers and continue to cook for a couple of minutes until the peppers start to soften.
• Add the garlic, chilli and ginger, mix in and then add the crispy tofu and spring onions.
• Stir fry for two minutes and then add the Lee Kum Kee Tomato & Garlic stir fry sauce. Stir to combine then cover the pan for three minutes.
• Remove the lid, stir and add the udon noodles and a splash of Lee Kum Kee light soy sauce, tossing to combine in the sauce.
• Take off the heat and sprinkle with the black sesame seeds.
• Serve immediately, garnished with some fresh basil.

Notes

You can skip pressing the tofu if you are short of time. Pat dry and cut into squares and proceed with the recipe.

Nutritional Info

Calories: 888kcal | Carbohydrates: 133g | Protein: 40g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Sodium: 2181mg | Potassium: 879mg | Fiber: 14g | Sugar: 26g | Vitamin A: 6065IU | Vitamin C: 242mg | Calcium: 163mg | Iron: 4.4mg

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