Dried tangerine peel, called chenpi, ages for years in Guangdong cellars—the older it gets, the more valuable it becomes.
Tofu with Tangerine
Indulge in a zesty tofu delight that’s sure to win over even the toughest critics! Our Tofu with Tangerine features crispy, golden-brown tofu drizzled with a vibrant citrus sauce made from fresh tangerines and a hint of soy sauce for that perfect sweet-savory balance. Get ready to elevate your dinner game with this mouthwatering dish that’s as easy to make as it is irresistible!
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
The Story
This orange-glazed tofu riff traces back to 1970s Hunan-style American-Chinese kitchens, where chefs swapped notoriously fussy duck for crispy orange chicken, and some enterprising vegetarian cook in San Francisco later ditched the bird entirely for tofu—proving that Hunan's citrus-and-chili bravado translates just fine onto bean curd, no feathers required, no Sichuan peppercorns harmed in the process.
Regional Twist
In Brazil's São Paulo neighborhoods with heavy Japanese immigrant influence, cooks swap plain shoyu for a darker, thicker tamari and add a splash of sake, pushing this tangerine tofu closer to a proper izakaya dish than a quick weeknight stir-fry.
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(2)
- 2 dentes de alho picados
- 1/2 colher de chá de gengibre picado (2.5 ml)
🥩Meat & Seafood(1)
- 300g de tofu firme (10.6 oz)
🫙Pantry Staples(5)
- 1/4 xícara de amido de milho (60 ml)
- 1 colher de sopa de amido de milho (15 ml)
- Óleo para fritar
- 2 colheres de sopa de vinagre de arroz (30 ml)
- 1/4 xícara de açúcar (50 g)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(2)
- Pimenta-do-reino a gosto
- Sal a gosto
🍯Sauces & Condiments(1)
- 2 colheres de sopa de shoyu (30 ml)
📦Other(2)
- glutamato monossódico a gosto, opcionaloptional
- 4 tangerinas
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
305
Protein
7g
Carbs
38g
Fat
14g
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Peel the tangerines, separate the segments, and remove the seeds. Transfer to a blender and blend well. Strain the juice and discard the pulp. Use 1 cup of tangerine juice in the recipe.
- 2
Mix all the sauce ingredients and set aside.
- 3
Cut the tofu into bite-sized pieces by hand.
- 4
In a plate, mix cornstarch, black pepper, and salt.
- 5
Coat the tofu pieces in the mixture.
- 6
In a pan, fry the tofu pieces in hot oil until golden and crispy.
- 7
Add the sauce to the tofu and let it thicken. Stir well to incorporate all the sauce.
- 8
Finish with sesame and green onions. Serve with white rice (or gohan) and sautéed broccoli with garlic.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Press your tofu between paper towels with a 2-3 kg weight for 20-30 minutes before cutting to reduce moisture content from ~90% to ~70%, allowing the cornstarch coating to adhere properly and achieve maximum crispness during frying.technique20-30 minutes, 2-3 kg weight
- ✓Heat your oil to 175°C (350°F) before adding tofu—this temperature allows the cornstarch to gelatinize and form a crispy shell within 3-4 minutes per batch while the interior stays tender, whereas lower temperatures result in soggy, oil-logged coating.technique175°C (350°F), 3-4 minutes per batch
- ✓Reduce the tangerine juice and sauce to 40% of its original volume (from 240ml to ~96ml) over medium-high heat before adding to fried tofu; this concentrates acid and sugar by 2.5x, preventing the crispy coating from becoming soggy while creating proper glaze adhesion.timing40% of original volume
- ✓Add the reduced sauce in two stages: toss tofu with half the sauce first, then add remaining sauce while tossing continuously for 20-30 seconds to build a thin glaze layer without exceeding the coating's moisture absorption threshold (~15% weight gain).techniqueTwo stages, 20-30 seconds final toss
- ✓Use rice vinegar at 1:1 ratio with sugar (2 tbsp each) in your sauce because rice vinegar's 4-5% acidity and mild flavor won't overpower the delicate tangerine citrus, whereas distilled vinegar's 5% acidity would create harsh, unbalanced flavor.ingredient1:1 ratio (2 tbsp each)
Share this recipe
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
Share this recipe
Dried tangerine peel, called chenpi, ages for years in Guangdong cellars—the older it gets, the more valuable it becomes.
Tofu with Tangerine
Indulge in a zesty tofu delight that’s sure to win over even the toughest critics! Our Tofu with Tangerine features crispy, golden-brown tofu drizzled with a vibrant citrus sauce made from fresh tangerines and a hint of soy sauce for that perfect sweet-savory balance. Get ready to elevate your dinner game with this mouthwatering dish that’s as easy to make as it is irresistible!
The Story
This orange-glazed tofu riff traces back to 1970s Hunan-style American-Chinese kitchens, where chefs swapped notoriously fussy duck for crispy orange chicken, and some enterprising vegetarian cook in San Francisco later ditched the bird entirely for tofu—proving that Hunan's citrus-and-chili bravado translates just fine onto bean curd, no feathers required, no Sichuan peppercorns harmed in the process.
Regional Twist
In Brazil's São Paulo neighborhoods with heavy Japanese immigrant influence, cooks swap plain shoyu for a darker, thicker tamari and add a splash of sake, pushing this tangerine tofu closer to a proper izakaya dish than a quick weeknight stir-fry.
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(2)
- 2 dentes de alho picados
- 1/2 colher de chá de gengibre picado (2.5 ml)
🥩Meat & Seafood(1)
- 300g de tofu firme (10.6 oz)
🫙Pantry Staples(5)
- 1/4 xícara de amido de milho (60 ml)
- 1 colher de sopa de amido de milho (15 ml)
- Óleo para fritar
- 2 colheres de sopa de vinagre de arroz (30 ml)
- 1/4 xícara de açúcar (50 g)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(2)
- Pimenta-do-reino a gosto
- Sal a gosto
🍯Sauces & Condiments(1)
- 2 colheres de sopa de shoyu (30 ml)
📦Other(2)
- glutamato monossódico a gosto, opcionaloptional
- 4 tangerinas
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
305
Protein
7g
Carbs
38g
Fat
14g
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Peel the tangerines, separate the segments, and remove the seeds. Transfer to a blender and blend well. Strain the juice and discard the pulp. Use 1 cup of tangerine juice in the recipe.
- 2
Mix all the sauce ingredients and set aside.
- 3
Cut the tofu into bite-sized pieces by hand.
- 4
In a plate, mix cornstarch, black pepper, and salt.
- 5
Coat the tofu pieces in the mixture.
- 6
In a pan, fry the tofu pieces in hot oil until golden and crispy.
- 7
Add the sauce to the tofu and let it thicken. Stir well to incorporate all the sauce.
- 8
Finish with sesame and green onions. Serve with white rice (or gohan) and sautéed broccoli with garlic.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Press your tofu between paper towels with a 2-3 kg weight for 20-30 minutes before cutting to reduce moisture content from ~90% to ~70%, allowing the cornstarch coating to adhere properly and achieve maximum crispness during frying.technique20-30 minutes, 2-3 kg weight
- ✓Heat your oil to 175°C (350°F) before adding tofu—this temperature allows the cornstarch to gelatinize and form a crispy shell within 3-4 minutes per batch while the interior stays tender, whereas lower temperatures result in soggy, oil-logged coating.technique175°C (350°F), 3-4 minutes per batch
- ✓Reduce the tangerine juice and sauce to 40% of its original volume (from 240ml to ~96ml) over medium-high heat before adding to fried tofu; this concentrates acid and sugar by 2.5x, preventing the crispy coating from becoming soggy while creating proper glaze adhesion.timing40% of original volume
- ✓Add the reduced sauce in two stages: toss tofu with half the sauce first, then add remaining sauce while tossing continuously for 20-30 seconds to build a thin glaze layer without exceeding the coating's moisture absorption threshold (~15% weight gain).techniqueTwo stages, 20-30 seconds final toss
- ✓Use rice vinegar at 1:1 ratio with sugar (2 tbsp each) in your sauce because rice vinegar's 4-5% acidity and mild flavor won't overpower the delicate tangerine citrus, whereas distilled vinegar's 5% acidity would create harsh, unbalanced flavor.ingredient1:1 ratio (2 tbsp each)