general tso's soy curls [or tofu]

General Tso's Soy Curls 

The Internet is brimming with vegan Christmas recipes. But what are my Jewish herbivore friends going to eat on December 25? Sure, you can always fall back on the seemingly ancient Jewish tradition of going out for Chinese food and a movie on Christmas day. But why not make your own Chinese chow and watch a movie at home instead?

Soy curls look and taste disturbingly meat like. But unlike most mock meats, they are not a frankenfood.

One of my favorite Chinese-American dishes is General Tso's Tofu/Vegan Chicken/Seitan – hot, sweet, filling, what's not to love? But I 'm not a fan of eating deep-fried food [too unhealthful] or cooking it [too messy]. So I came up with this version using soy curls. To make using tofu, simply press the tofu, cut into cubes and dry fry, then cook it with the sauce as described below. If you prefer a sweeter sauce, add more agave nectar, or even a tablespoon of apricot or peach jam. The pinch of cinnamon is my twist – I like how it complements both the heat and sweetness.

Happy holidays, everyone!

General Tso's Soy Curls

Recipe created for my dear BFF and uber-reporter, Karen Pearlman

Soy Curls and saute fodder:

• 3 cups vegetable broth [Reserve extra after draining soy curls]
• 2 cups dry soy curls

• 1 medium onion, sliced
• 2 large garlic cloves, sliced
• 1/2 cup shredded carrots
• 2 tsp oil


• Sesame seeds for sprinkling

Sauce:

• 1/4 cup vegetable broth
• 1 T rice wine vinegar
• 1 1/2 T soy sauce
• 1 tsp hot sauce, like Sriracha 
• 1 tsp cornstarch
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
• 2-3 T agave nectar

• Serves 3, easily doubled

Soak soy curls in broth for at least 15 minutes or up to an hour. Meanwhile, make sauce by whisking all sauce ingredients together in a medium bowl. Drain soy curls, reserving broth in another bowl. Squeeze out excess liquid with your hands.

Soy curls are done when lightly browned but still moist.

Heat oil in a large non-stick pan over medium. Add the soy curls, onion, garlic and carrots and saute about 15 minutes or until onions are soft and curls are golden brown. When the mixture starts to dry out as you saute, add about 1-2 T of broth. This will help prevent sticking while infusing the soy curls with even more flavor.

Add the sauce and cook for about 5 minutes. Add 1/4 cup of the reserved broth and cook another 5 minutes, then add another 1/4 cup of broth and cook for another 5 minutes. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve over brown rice or another whole grain.