Printable Panda Express Eggplant Tofu Recipe Card
Bring the delicious flavors of takeout to your home with this vegetarian Eggplant Tofu dish in a ginger-garlic sauce!
Servings: 4
Ingredients
For the Sauce:
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 2 tbsp sweet chili sauce
- 1 tbsp hoisin sauce
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp garlic, minced
- 1 tsp ginger, minced
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- ½ cup water or vegetable broth
For the Tofu:
- 1 cup firm tofu, about ½ block of tofu
- 3 tbsp cornstarch
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil, for frying
For the Stir-Fry:
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 cup eggplant, cut into large cubes
- ¼ tsp hot sauce or chili flakes
- 1 red bell pepper, sliced into strips
- 1 tsp garlic, minced
- 1 tsp ginger, minced
- 2 green onions, sliced (white parts for cooking, green parts for garnish)
Optional Garnish:
- sesame seeds
- cilantro
Instructions
Step 1: Prepare the Sauce
- In a medium-sized bowl, combine cornstarch and water/broth and whisk until the cornstarch is dissolved and smooth. Add the remaining sauce ingredients: soy sauce, sweet chili sauce, hoisin sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, ginger, and garlic. Stir to combine.
Step 2: Prepare the Tofu
- Optional but recommended: Press the tofu by wrapping the block in paper towels, placing it on a plate, and placing a cast-iron or other heavy pot on top. Let it sit for 20-30 minutes to remove any excess liquid from the tofu.
- Cut the tofu into 1-inch cubes and toss them with cornstarch to lightly coat all the cubes.
Step 3: Fry the Tofu
- Heat 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the tofu chunks on all sides until golden and crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a plate lined with paper towels.
Step 4: Assemble the Stir Fry
- Chop the eggplant into even-sized chunks. In the same skillet used to cook the tofu, add more vegetable oil if needed and reheat the pan to medium-high heat. Stir-fry the eggplant for 3-4 minutes or until golden brown. Remove and set aside.
Step 5: Cooking with Red Peppers and Aromatic Spices
- Add the sliced red peppers to the skillet, stir-frying for 3-4 minutes until slightly charred. Then, add the minced garlic, ginger, and chopped white parts of green onions. Cook until aromatic, about 30-60 seconds.
- Add the tofu and eggplant back to the skillet. Pour the sauce over them, stirring until well-coated. Cook for 1-2 minutes or until the sauce thickens.
- Garnish with the green parts of the chopped green onions, sesame seeds, or cilantro and serve over a bed of steaming rice.
Notes
- Serve over steamed broccoli, white or brown rice, or brown rice noodles.
- To substitute the fresh ginger for ground ginger, use 1/4 tsp of ground ginger.