Last Updated on May 19, 2021 by Simon Fan
Widely used in Chinese cooking, sweet and sour flavoring can be created with a myriad of options, using different types of sugar, vinegar, tomato paste, citrus juice, or fruit jam.
The Yangtze Delta region is well known for its delicious array of sweet and sour dishes, including the famous sweet and sour pork ribs. The allure of the dish—the signature dark color, intense aroma, and wonderfully balanced sweet, sour, and salty tastes—is a result of blending Zhenjiang vinegar, the rich and aromatic dark rice vinegar from the region, with sugar (or rock sugar), soy sauce, and Shaoxing wine.
When you use the same flavoring and apply it to tofu, the world’s original plant-based meat, you’ll get a vegetarian version that’s just as intriguing. To make the dish, you first pan-fry firm or extra-firm tofu to create a crispy golden crust, and then stir-fry the tofu quickly to let it absorb the rich flavors from a sweet and sour concoction.
This dish exemplifies a common practice in Chinese cooking called su cai hun zuo (素菜荤做) or “cooking vegetarian ingredients like meat.” Such practice adds a new dimension to vegetarian cooking and makes the dishes attractive to vegetarians and meat-lovers alike.
The concept of su cai hun zuo is not unique from Chinese cooking though: the popularity of dishes such as Cauliflower Steaks and Veggie Burgers highlights their universal appeal.
Sweet and sour crispy tofu
Serves 2
Ingredients
10 oz (285 g) firm or extra-firm tofu
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon Zhenjiang (aka Chinkiang) vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
⅛ teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
1 tablespoon water
¼ teaspoon potato starch or cornstarch
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 scallion, white and green parts separated and thinly sliced
½ teaspoon toasted white sesame seeds
Directions
- Cut the tofu into pieces about the size of 1½ x 1½ x ½ inch (4 x 4 x 1.3 cm). Pat very dry with paper towels.
- In a small bowl, combine the sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, pepper, water, and starch. Stir until the sugar is fully dissolved.
- Heat the oil in a nonstick pan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the tofu in a single layer, and sear until both sides are golden-brown and crispy, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Add the scallion white and cook until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Pour in the well-stirred sauce and swiftly stir and mix until the sauce has thickened and nicely coats all pieces of tofu, about 20 seconds. Serve the tofu garnished with the scallion green and sesame seeds.
