Fried Bean Curd with a Sweet & Sour Sauce
Submitted by DeAnna
Sweet and sour tofu with peppers and carrots: a vegetarian Chinese restaurant favorite. Tofu poached for tenderness, topped with crisp stir-fried vegetables, and dressed with a tangy ginger-garlic sweet-and-sour sauce.
YIELD
5 servingsPREP
15 minCOOK
20 minREADY
35 minSweet and sour tofu with peppers and carrots brings the iconic Chinese restaurant flavor home, but with a twist: the tofu isn’t actually fried despite the title. It’s poached in salted boiling water, a clever technique that firms the texture without adding oil and makes the cubes pleasantly tender rather than rubbery.
Less oil, more flavor.
The sauce is the star here, and it follows the classic Cantonese formula: rice or white vinegar for tang, sugar for sweetness, soy sauce for umami, and ketchup for that distinctive ruby color and slight tomato richness. A little cayenne adds a backbeat of warmth without overwhelming the balance.
The garlic and ginger get bloomed in oil first, then removed, leaving behind their aromatic essence without the chunks.
The stir-fried vegetable trio (carrots, bell peppers, scallions) goes on top of the tofu rather than mixed in, which keeps each component distinct on the plate. A blast of high heat for just 30 seconds keeps the vegetables crisp and bright, exactly as you’d find them in a good Cantonese kitchen.
Pro Tips
- Use medium-firm tofu, not silken. Silken falls apart in the hot water bath; firmer tofu holds its shape.
- Squeeze the poached tofu cubes gently between paper towels before plating. Excess water dilutes the sauce.
- Have everything cut and ready before you start the wok. Stir-frying moves too fast for mid-cook prep.
- Watch the cornstarch slurry carefully. The sauce thickens within seconds of returning to the boil.
Variations
- Add chunks of fresh pineapple to the vegetables for the classic sweet-and-sour pineapple twist.
- Swap the cayenne for a teaspoon of chili-garlic sauce for a spicier Sichuan-style version.
- Serve over jasmine rice or alongside steamed broccoli for a full meal.
Ingredients
Directions
Mix cornstarch with 3 tablespoons stock.
Combine ¾ cup stock, vinegar, sugar, ketchup, soy sauce, ½ teaspoons salt, cayenne and black pepper in a bowl.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a small pot over a medium flame.
When hot, toss in garlic and ginger.
Stir. As soon as the garlic browns, remove pot from the heat and pour vinegar mixture from the bowl into it.
Put pot back onto the heat and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer for 4 minutes. Add cornstarch mixture.
Stir until sauce thickens. Add more salt if required.
Remove garlic and ginger.
Put tofu cubes into a bowl.
Add 2 teaspoons salt to 6 cups water and bring to a boil.
Pour boiling water over tofu. Let them sit for a while.
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a wok.
Put in ½ teaspoons salt and carrot, peppers and scallions.
Stir fry for 30 seconds.
Turn off heat.
Heat prepared sauce over a low heat.
Take tofu out of the hot water.
Squeeze gently to get rid of excess water and place on a serving platter.
Spread vegetables over the tofu.
Pour sauce over vegetables.
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