Love2Chow General Tso's Tofu

Love2Chow General Tso's Chicken

Flavors and Textures

Fuchsia Dunlop's recipe in Revolutionary Chinese Cookbook offered the perfectly textured chicken, but I found that both versions of her sauce lacked brightness. After my daughter's first Veguary challenge (which we failed pretty quickly by forgetting that oyster sauce was not vegetarian -- we got better the second year), I thought it would be straightforward to substitute fried cauliflower or tofu for the fried chicken chunks. But this was not the case.

Inspired by Gobi (cauliflower) Manchurian, a beloved Indo-Chinese fusion dish, I was able to develop a highly satisfying vegan General Tso's cauliflower with a texture and flavor that rivaled the original.

Love2Chow General Tso's Cauliflower

But the tofu version eluded me. 

A farmers market bounty is transformed into poblanos stuffed with pork, corn, chopped poblano,  tomatillo, shallots & garlic with a fresh tomatillo salsa instead of the top layer of cheese.

Stuffed poblanos with turkey, tomato, chopped poblano, garlic and onion. Topped with a browned, bubbly layer of mozzarella and garnished with cilantro and dill blossoms

The basics

Peppers

Poblanos and Orange Bell Peppers stuffed with cremini mushrooms, hatch chile, shallots, the rest of the bell pepper and a mix of pizza cheese blend and sharp cheddar for  delicious vegetarian version.

A farmers market bounty with fresh poblanos, tomatillos, cilantro and scallion being washed.

A riff on Chipotle Black Bean Chili with fresh garden fennel fronds and pickled peppers

Chipotle Red and White Chili with sausage and toppings

Vegetable Chili                                   (Vegan except for optional toppings)

Vegetable Chili using dried kidney and pinto beans

2 1/2 cups dried kidney beans, soaked overnight in 2-3" of water to cover

2 Tbs olive oil

2 medium onions, coarsely chopped

4 medium garlic cloves, finely chopped or crushed

3 stalks celery, chopped

3 carrots, chopped

3 tomatoes, chopped

1 Tbs fresh lemon juice

1 Tbs Penzey's Chili 9000

2 Tbs Penzey's Medium Hot Chili Powder

2 tsp salt (adjust down if using chili powder with salt in it)

Optional, crushed red pepper or cayenne pepper

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp dried basil

1/4 tsp dried oregano (preferably Mexican)

Fresh ground black pepper to taste

Up to 1 small can tomato paste

1 1/2 green or yellow bell peppers, cored, seeded, and coarsely chopped

Toppings (see above, or step 4 for suggestions)

Soaking half a pound each of dried red kidney and pinto beans

1. In the morning, add more water to beans if necessary to keep them submerged. Test for softness. Drain and rinse when just tender, or they will start to fall apart during cooking. Transfer to a large, heavy saucepan with water to cover. Bring to boil over high head, then lower heat and continue boiling the beans, partially covered, until tender, about 1 h. Watch the water level carefully and add to keep beans in liquid.

    OR add unsoaked beans to Instant Pot with 1 inch of water to cover. Cook at high pressure for 30 min in an Instant Pot, let sit for 20 min for natural release.  (Cook 20 min if soaked overnight).

Mise on place for Vegetable Chili

2. Heat the olive oil in a large heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Cook onions and garlic until translucent. Add celery, carrots, tomatoes, lemon juice, and all the spices. Cook, covered, until the vegetables are nearly tender, about 10-15 min. Add the bell peppers and cook another 10 min.

3. Add the beans and the water in which they cooked. Stir thoroughly and simmer for 30 min over low heat, adding tablespoons of either tomato paste or water as necessary to achieve desired texture, stirring to prevent sticking to the bottom of the pot. 

This batch of Vegetable Chili was a bit soupier due to use of Instant Pot. Next time will use less water in Instant Pot, or reserve the cooking water and not add it all to the chili.

4. Taste and adjust seasonings. Serve with tortilla chips, chopped red onion, chopped scallions, avodaco slices, and lime to keep it vegan; add shredded cheddar and jack cheeses, plain yogurt spiked with lime juice or ranch seasoning for vegetarians. Add crumbled bacon or cooked sausage for the carnivores. 

Vegetarian chili using red kidney and yellow-eyed beans from Rancho Gordo.

The next three chili recipes were modified from Superfast Suppers by Cooking Light magazine, which was published in 2002. I almost always substitute fresh garlic or onions, and it is pretty easy to use dried beans if you have time. See Love2Chow tips, below.

 

Chipotle Red & White Bean Chili              Omit sausage for vegan.

This is one of my favorite quick chili recipes. It looks pretty, tastes great, and is simple to make. While it calls for crumbled sweet Italian sausage, I have also made it as a vegetarian chili. I had some fresh poblano chiles, cubanelle chiles and carrots from a friend's garden, which I added in with the the bell peppers, and served it with optional sausage on the side for toppings. 

Shortcut to the printable recipe.

Chipotle Red & White Bean Chili with sausage

Chipotle Red & White Bean Chili.  Serves 4, total time 20 min. 

1 cup chopped onion

1/2 pound pork sausage (sweet Italian)

1 green bell pepper, chopped

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1-2 Tbs. Penzey's Bold Taco seasoning or 1 Tbs each Bold Taco (has salt) and Penzey's 9000 (no salt)

1 (14.5 oz) can Mexican style diced tomatoes, drained

1 (8 oz) can no-salt added tomato sauce

1 (15 oz) can no salt added red kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1 (19 oz) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

2 chipotle peppers in adobe sauce, chopped, plus 2 tsp adobe sauce from can

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Toppings (see above, or step 4 for suggestions)

1. Cook onion, sausage and peppers, Drain and return to pan.

Sauteeing orange pepper and poblano chiles (instead of green) for this batch.

2. Add seasoning, tomatoes, tomato sauce, kidney beans, cannellini beans, and chipotle peppers

Our favorite seasonings for this chili

3. Bring to boil, cover and simmer at least 5 min.

Chipotle Red & White Chili right after mixing in beans

4. Serve with fresh cilantro, and optional corn bread, avocado, sour cream or plain Greek yogurt

Chipotle Red & White Chili with toppings

White Bean Chicken Chili

This is my husband's favorite chili to make and eat. Part of the beans are pureed to thicken this delightful creamy chili.

Shortcut to the printable recipe

White Bean Chicken Chili

White Bean Chicken Chili.  

1 tsp olive oil

1 red onion (~150 g), chopped (~ 1 cup)

4 cloves of garlic, minced

2 (15.5 oz) cans cannellini beans - do NOT drain

3 cups chopped cooked chicken

1 cup of no salt added chicken broth

1.5 tsp Penzey's Arizona Dreaming seasoning (or other salt-free Mexican seasoning)

1 cup (4 oz w) shredded pepper jack cheese

~1/4 tsp salt, to taste

1. Saute onion and garlic in hot oil in Dutch oven until translucent.

2. Mash one can of beans with a fork.  Add both mashed and unmashed beans with their water and the next three ingredients to the pot. Bring to a booil and simmer 15-20 min.

3. Add cheese, stirring constantly, until melted.  Salt to taste.

4. Serve with chopped fresh cilantro, chopped green onions, plain yogurt, salsa, or crushed tortilla chips.

Chipotle Black Bean Chili (Vegan except for optional toppings)

This is my husband's favorite chili to make and eat. Part of the beans are pureed to thicken this delightful creamy chili.

Shortcut to the printable recipe. 

Chipotle Black Bean Chili

Chipotle Black Bean Chili                                                   (makes 6 2-cup servings).

2 tsp olive oil

10 oz (w) chopped onion

3 Tbs minced garlic

3 Tbs chili powder (Penzey's medium hot chili powder is salt-free)

2 canned chipotle chiles, minced, plus 1-2 Tbs. adobo sauce

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

1/4 tsp salt or more to taste

4 (15 oz) cans black beans, rinsed and drained (or 2 cups dried, precooked)

4 (14.5 oz) cans no salt added diced tomatoes with juice

1 (4.5 oz) cans chopped green chiles with juice

Toppings (See below)

Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add onion and garlic and cook until tender about 2 min. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15 min, stirring occasionally.

    OR transfer sauteed onion and garlic to slow cooker, add remaining ingredients and slow cook for at least an hour. It can be kept warm and served out of the slow cooker.

A double recipe of black bean chili in slow cooker

Serve with toppings of choice (shredded cheddar, cilantro, scallions, onions, bacon bits, tortilla chips, hot sauce)

Freeze leftovers in 1 or 2 cup portions. As mentioned in Superfast Suppers, this can be used as a hamburger topper, or be incorporated into enchilada casseroles, turkey chili mac, chili pie with zucchini and corn under corn bread mix. 

A triple recipe of Chipotle Black Bean Chili with toppings bar

🐾 For each 15 oz can of beans, I usually get about 1.3-1.5 cups of drained beans. Since dry beans swell about 3x, substitute 1/2 cup of dry for each 15 oz can. Or just make a bit of extra and measure out the beans after they are cooked.

🐾 Freeze cubed leftover chicken or turkey in 1 cup portions, to be pulled out when you feel like chicken chili.

🍃 When you open a can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, be sure to freeze the extra peppers in an ice cube tray, with the sauce spooned on top. They usually thaw pretty quickly for chopping, or puree the whole thing and freeze tablespoons that can be added directly to the chili.

 Long before I discovered the secrets to making dan dan noodles, lo mein or drunken noodles, I had clipped a recipe for Spicy Szechuan Noodles from a local neighborhood newspaper. This simple, but flexible and pleasing dish has been a family favorite since 2002. The kids call it Peanut Butter Noodles and it is fantastic served simply or with optional toppings. As it tastes equally good hot or at room temperature, a big bowl of these noodles disappears rapidly on the potluck or buffet table.

As my children were growing up, there have been a few one-pot dishes that stand out as favorites -- both for flavor and ease of preparation. The first are these scrumptious noodles coated with a light, peanut butter-sesame oil sauce, using ingredients readily found in our grocery store. The recipe for Spicy Szechuan Noodles by Chef Kelly was clipped from the North Journal Star in 2002, and modified for ease of preparation and to accommodate both a child that loves and a child that feared spicy foods. 

Over the years, this dish has been a favorite with classmates and neighbors alike.  Due to its make ahead nature, it frequently graced potluck tables at school picnics and neighborhood gatherings.  Whether made as a double or triple batch, it always disappeared rapidly.

We have enjoyed this dish using a variety of noodles. It it fantastic with semolina or whole wheat spaghetti as well as dried Chinese noodles by Quon Yick Noodle in California, or fresh lo mein noodles. I have even made it using 1 and a half spaghetti squashes (roasted for 35-40 min in a 350°F convection oven). 

While the original recipe included shredded chicken and toasted cashews, I have also served it with thin strips of ham and julienned cucumber or carrots. As time went on, we found ourselves eating the saucy noodles simply with some scallions on top.  

We use bottled Szechuan sauce by Kame or Dynasty, which are carried in the Asian section of our local grocery store. However, I have included the original recipe at the bottom of this post should you wish to make your own chili sauce.

When my son became a teenager, he started making the dish when he got home from school. He noted that since he liked things extra saucy, he was deliberately sloppy with the measurements to add a bit more of everything. It was glorious to come home from a long day of work to find dinner waiting for me and my husband. Even my daughter, who has now grown to enjoy moderately spicy foods, told me that she liked my son's version better. 

So he became the Peanut Butter noodle chef. I recently realized that we have not enjoyed these noodles much since he graduated high school. Instead, we occasionally enjoyed coming home to Tortellini with Smoked Salmon in a butter-cream-dill sauce, my daughter's favorite dish. 

This week, I asked my husband to make the base noodle recipe, while I prepared toppings of shredded carrot, spicy stinky tofu and some miso-maple-glazed Chinese eggplant on the side for a vegan meal. 

Love2Chow Peanut Butter Noodles (Spicy Szechuan Noodles)   Serves 4.

Ingredients

    8-10 oz dry spaghetti or Quon Yick noodles

Sauce

    3 Tbs smooth peanut butter (Optional. See Note)

    1 Tbs soy sauce

    2 Tbs vinegar

    1 Tbs sesame oil

    2 Tbs olive oil

    1 Tbs sherry or rice wine

    1 Tbs water

    *1 Tbs Szechuan Sauce (or make your own)

    1 tsp sugar

    *2 cloves garlic, minced

    *2 scallions, chopped

    2 Tbs chopped cilantro (optional)

Optional toppings

    6 oz (w) cooked chicken or ham, shredded or sliced

    Cucumber, peeled and sliced into thin sticks

    Shredded carrot

    Wilted spinach

    Thin slices of dry tofu or spicy tofu

    Toasted sesame seeds, white or black

    Black pepper or toasted Szechuan peppercorns to taste

1. Boil water and cook noodles per package directions

2. In a large bowl, mix the sauce ingredients from peanut butter to sugar until smooth. Stir in remaining sauce ingredients.  

(If you are cooking for someone that is sensitive to spicy or strong flavors, hold off on adding the ingredients with asterisks.)

3. Drain hot noodles and immediately stir into the sauce. 

(Remove the serving for the person that dislikes spicy foods, and then stir in the asterisked ingredients).

4. You can either serve the toppings on the side, or mix them right in.

Note: If you dislike peanut butter, the rest of the sauce ingredients are also delicious without it.  The more traditional Chinese dish that this is based on uses Chinese sesame paste. You can use any combination of peanut butter, sesame paste or tahini, as long as the total is around 3-4 Tbs. Adjust thickness of sauce with water if necessary. 

🐾 Note: If you dislike peanut butter, the rest of the sauce ingredients are also delicious without it. The traditional Chinese dish that this is based on uses Chinese sesame paste instead of peanut butter. You can use any combination of peanut butter, sesame paste or tahini, although we find including some peanut butter improves the texture. Adjust sauce thickness with water, if necessary.

🐾 For potlucks, add the scallions and cilantro just before serving.

DID YOU TRY THIS RECIPE?

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