Can I use a different tofu?

Crispy pan-fried tofu cubes can be used but not soft or medium tofu. The tofu should have a crisp exterior in order for it to withstand the force of the quick stir-fry method without breaking apart. You can also use cubed extra firm tofu. Toss it in some corn starch before pan-frying all sides until a crisp on the exterior and golden brown. Then use it for the stir-fry.

How long do tofu puffs last?

The unopened package will last up until its expiration date in the fridge. If the package is opened or if you’ve purchased freshly fried tofu puffs from the wet market and brought it home in a plastic bag, transfer to a sealed airtight container and use within 3 days. If they smell off at any point and have a sour scent, they’ve gone bad and should be discarded.

Can I make kung pao tofu with vegetables?

If you wish to boost the nutritional content you can certainly add vegetables to this kung pao tofu puffs. Half the tofu puffs amount and add up to 2 cups of crisp stir-fry friendly vegetables such as zucchini, bell pepper (any color), celery, onion, broccoli florets, etc.

Kung Pao Tofu Puffs

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4.5 from 2 reviews

This Kung Pao Tofu Puffs stir-fry is full of savory, spicy, and numbing flavors with a hint of sweetness and tang! It’s quick and easy to make in under 30 minutes and SO GOOD with steamed rice!

Author: Lavina
Prep Time: 15
Cook Time: 10
Total Time: 25 minutes
Yield: 4 1x
Category: Dinner
Method: Stir-fry
Cuisine: Sichuan

Ingredients

Scale

For the Kung Pao Tofu Puffs Stir-fry:

3–4 TBLS Peanut Oil (or other neutral flavored oil with a high smoke point)
¼ cup unsalted Fried Red-Skin Peanuts (or unsalted dry roasted peanuts – note 1)
1 Welsh Onion, white part only (note 2) – sliced into ¾-inch wide pieces
6 Garlic cloves – thinly sliced
1.5-inch piece Ginger – thinly sliced (about 2 tablespoons sliced)
3 fresh Red Chilies (optional – Thai Bird’s Eye or any other small hot red chilies – note 3), to taste – thinly sliced
1 TSP Sichuan Red Peppercorns (note 4) – red husks only, stems and black seeds discarded
4 – 12 Chinese or Thai Dried Chilies (note 5) – stems removed, snipped in ¾-inch pieces
200 grams / 7 ounces Fried Tofu Puffs (‘dou pok’ – note 6)

For the Sauce:

1 TSP Potato Starch (or Corn Starch)
2 TSP White Sugar, to taste
¼ TSP Kosher Salt (use half the amount if using iodized table salt)
2.5 TBLS Low Sodium Light Soy Sauce
2 TBLS Shao Xing Rice Wine (substitute dry sherry if unavailable)
1 TBLS Chinkiang Vinegar (substitute ½ tablespoon each balsamic and distilled white vinegar if unavailable)
½ TSP Dark Soy Sauce
1 TSP Sesame Oil
¼ cup + 1 TBLS Water

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Instructions

Prep:

Fry the peanuts: (Note: Skip this step if using already fried red-skin peanuts or dry roasted peanuts). Heat 1 tablespoon peanut oil in a small pot over medium-high heat. Once hot, turn the heat down to medium-low and add the red-skin peanuts. Fry gently, moving the peanuts often and shaking the pot by the handle occasionally, until the skins are a deep shade of reddish-brown – about 2-3 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to a paper towel lined plate to drain. Then transfer to a sheet of parchment paper/nonstick cooking paper and allow to cool while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
Prepare the fresh and dry ingredients: Slice/cut the Welsh onion (or spring onion white and light green parts), garlic, ginger, fresh red chilies (if using), Sichuan red peppercorns and dried chilies as indicated in the ‘ingredients’ section. (Tip: Shake out and discard some or all of the seeds from the dried chilies for a milder dish.)
Make the sauce: Whisk together the potato starch, white sugar, kosher salt, low sodium light soy sauce, Shao Xing rice wine, Chinkiang vinegar, dark soy sauce, sesame oil and water in a small measuring cup (or bowl) until combined well.

For the Kung Pao Tofu Puffs Stir-fry:

Stir-fry the aromatics: Add the remaining 3 tablespoons of oil to the wok and heat over high heat. Once hot, add the Welsh onion white parts, garlic and ginger. Stir-fry for 20-30 seconds until fragrant.
Stir-fry the chilies: Add the fresh chilies, Sichuan red peppercorns and dried chilies. Stir-fry for 15 seconds to combine, taking care to not let the dried chilies and peppercorns burn.
Add the tofu puffs and sauce: Give the sauce a quick stir with a spoon to loosen up the potato starch that will have settled at the bottom. Add the tofu puffs into the wok and pour the sauce over everything. Toss continuously for 30-40 seconds until everything is evenly coated in the sauce. (Note: If the sauce thickens too quickly, add a splash of water and continue tossing.)
Toss through peanuts: Add the fried red-skin peanuts and toss briefly to combine, then switch off the heat.
To Serve: Transfer to a serving plate or dish and serve immediately with warm steamed rice.

Jinda dried chilies

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Notes

Unsalted Fried Red-Skin Peanuts. Look for these in an Asian or Chinese supermarket. If you can only find raw red-skin peanuts, follow step 1 in the ‘Prep’ section of the instructions to fry them. Alternatively, substitute with dry roasted peanuts – they will also work well to deliver the nutty flavor and crunchy texture.
Welsh Onion. This is a type of green onion and looks similar to Western leeks. It is also known as Tokyo or Japanese negi, bunching onion, green onion, and spring onion. However, it has more white part than the typical scallions and green onions found in the United States. Substitute with the white part of a western leek or 5 spring onion (scallion/green onion) white and light green parts that are cut into ¾-inch pieces.
Fresh Red Chilies. Feel free to leave them out for a milder dish.
Sichuan Red Peppercorns (hua jiao – 花椒). These have a numbing citrusy flavor and are a key ingredient. They aren’t spicy hot, but they do make your tongue buzz and tingle a little. Find them in an Asian supermarket, Chinese market, or order them online.
Chinese or Thai Dried Chilies. I used Thai Jinda dried chilies which are quite hot, but wonderfully fragrant and aromatic. Use any type of Chinese or Thai dried red chilies you like. Adjust quantity to taste based on how spicy the chilies are and your heat level tolerance. You can shake out and discard some or all of the seeds for a milder dish. Note that the dried chilies are only used to flavor the dish and are not typically eaten.
Fried Tofu Puffs (dou pok – 豆泡). These are also known as tau pok in Singapore and tow-hu tawt in Thai. They’re available in square, rectangle and triangle shapes and come in packages that are often labeled as ‘soy puffs’ at Asian supermarkets. Look for the small cubed shaped type as they’ll be easier to eat, but any of them will work. Find them in the refrigerated section of Asian supermarkets or at the tofu products stall in wet markets (if you are based in Asia).
To make it gluten-free. Use tamari or gluten-free soy sauce, dry sherry for the Shao Xing rice wine, and half balsamic and half white vinegar to replace the Chinkiang vinegar. Be sure to check the ingredients on the tofu puffs package to make sure it is 100% gluten-free.
Leftovers and storing. This is best when eaten on the same day of cooking as the tofu puffs will become dryer over time in the fridge. Although leftovers can be reheated and eaten the next day, be prepared for an altered texture. Store leftovers in a sealed airtight container in the fridge and reheat in the microwave on high for 1-2 minutes.