Crispy Szechuan Tofu with Tangy Spicy Maple Glaze

Prep the sauce while the tofu presses. Plan to cook extra sauce to reheat in a pan later. Here's a gluten-free, vegan recipe for Szechuan tofu that serves four and uses crispy tofu and red pepper pieces tossed in a maple syrup-based sauce with added flavors.

Firm or extra-firm tofu is cubed and coated with cornstarch. Pan-fry in a neutral oil with a high smoke point. Glaze cubed tofu and red pepper with tamari sauce, red pepper flakes, black pepper, maple syrup, Sriracha sauce, rice vinegar, garlic, ground ginger, and Chinese five spice. Cornstarch prevents the glaze from sticking to the pan rather than to the tofu and red pepper.

Tofu can be taken out of the pan after flipping several times until lightly crisp on the surfaces. Red peppers can be cooked in a separate pan for five minutes. Possible problems to avoid include soft or insufficiently drained tofu, which may not hold cubes as well. The prepared sauce needs to be nearby so you can add it to the pan with the tofu and peppers to cook for one minute.

Serve cooked tofu in separate bowls garnished with sliced scallions on an angle. Tofu can be served as a meal with or without rice. Cooked tofu can be refrigerated and reheated later in a wok or other pan to maintain a crisp texture better than reheating in a microwave.