General Tso’s Tofu Poke Bowl
This General Tso’s Tofu Poke Bowl is so good, it’s way more than just food: it’s an experience! It’s generous pieces of crispy tofu drenched in a perfectly balanced zesty, sweet and sour sauce, sitting over loads of fresh, crispy vegetables and soft, almost creamy calrose rice.
This is an exact replica of a dish that I recently ordered at a local micro-brewery I’d just discovered, and had been so totally, wholeheartedly impressed with that I opted to go back only a few days later to repeat the experience.
I then decided that I had to try and replicate it at home, just so I could have it all the time in the comfort of my own home, for a fraction of the price. Because let’s be honest, poke bowls tend to cost a little fortune in restaurants, when in fact, they really don’t cost that much to make at home, and aren’t complicated at all either. Granted, oftentimes, you’ll have a lot of ingredients to prep, but once that’s done, it all goes super quickly. In fact, what usually takes the longest is cooking the rice, and you can totally work on prepping all the other elements while that is happening.
This particular poke bowl calls for pickled red onions, which, if you don’t already have them in your fridge, will have to sit for about an hour before you can use them. I strongly recommend that you take the time to whip up a batch, not only because they do contribute a great deal to the overall experience of this dish, but because you will simply LOVE having them around. Take my word for it!
As for the poke bowl itself, if you are a fan of them and also happen to have a thing for General Tso, then I am positive that you will love this dish as much as I did…
Since this is what is going to take the longest, start by cooking the rice according to instructions on package, or using your favorite method.
I chose to use calrose, also known as sushi rice, because I love how sticky, soft and almost creamy it is — and I think it goes perfectly well with this bowl — but of course, you can feel free to substitute any other grain that you may prefer.
While that rice is cooking, you’ll have plenty of time to prep the rest of the ingredients you’ll need to make this poke bowl come to life, starting with your vegetables…
About those vegetables, here are a few tips worth mentioning:
- To give your carrots a bit of a tangy bite, use a little bit of the brine from the pickled red onions to soak them in while they are waiting for the rest of the stuff to be ready.
- There’s really no need to cook the edamame; simply leave it in the fridge to thaw overnight, or rinse it under cold running water until it’s completely thawed and then drain it well.
- You might want to wait until the very end to slice your avocado and top your bowl with it, as avocados tend to brown when exposed to air.
Next, cut the tofu into bite size cubes and place them into a medium sized bowl, along with the tapioca starch (or corn starch) toss until the tofu is completely and evenly coated.
In a separate bowl, combine all the ingredients for the sauce and whisk vigorously until well combined.
Heat a few tablespoons of avocado oil in a large frying pan or wok set over medium-high heat. When hot, carefully add the tofu cubes and fry until golden and crispy on all sides, about 5 minutes.
Add the sauce to the pan and let it simmer until it’s reduced and thickened, about 3 minutes, then remove from heat.
It’s gonna look like a lot of sauce at first, but trust me, you won’t have too much in the end…
Now that all the elements are ready, it’s time to assemble your poke bowls…
Divide the rice (or any other grain you may have chosen to use) between 2 fairly large bowls. Arrange the prepped veggies around the bowl on top of the rice, and then spoon the General Tso’s Tofu right in the center.
Garnish with sesame seeds, if desired, and serve without delay!
General Tso's Tofu Poke Bowl
Ingredients
The base
- 2 cups cooked calrose rice
The veggies
- 10 cherry tomatoes, cut in half or thirds
- 2-3 small radishes, sliced thinly
- 1 medium carrot, sliced thinly*
- 1 Lebanese cucumber, sliced thinly
- 1 cup frozen shelled edamame, thawed and drained**
- 1/2 cup pickled red onions
- 1 avocado, peeled, pitted and sliced***
For the General Tso's tofu
- 1/2 pound firm tofu, cubed
- 2 tbsp tapioca starch, (or corn starch)
- 2-3 tbsp avocado oil, for cooking
-For the sauce
- 3/4 cup water
- 2 tbsp ketchup
- 2 tbsp brown rice vinegar
- 2 tbsp pure maple syrup
- 2 tbsp tamari
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 tsp sriracha
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- 1/8 tsp Chinese five spice
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
To garnish
- Black and white sesame seeds
Instructions
- Cook the rice (or other grain of your choice) according to instructions on package, or using your favorite method.
- Meanwhile, prep your vegetables, but wait until the very end to peel and slice the avocado, to avoid browning.
- Next, cut the tofu into bite size cubes and place them into a medium sized bowl, along with the tapioca starch; toss until the tofu is completely and evenly coated.
- In a separate bowl, combine the ingredients for the sauce and whisk vigorously until well combined.
- Heat a few tablespoons of avocado oil in a large frying pan or wok set over medium-high heat. When hot, carefully add the tofu cubes and fry until golden and crispy on all sides, about 5 minutes.
- Add the sauce to the pan and let it simmer until it's reduced and thickened, about 3 minutes, then remove from heat.
- You are now ready to assemble the poke bowls: Divide the rice (or any grain you chose to use) between 2 fairly large bowls. Arrange the prepped veggies around the bowl on top of the rice, and then spoon the General Tso's tofu right in the center.
- Garnish with sesame seeds, if desired, and serve without delay!
Notes
*To give your carrots a bit of a tangy bite, use a little bit of the brine from the pickled onions to soak them in while they are waiting for the rest of the stuff to be ready. **There’s really no need to cook the edamame; simply leave it in the fridge to thaw overnight, or rinse it under cold running water until it’s completely thawed and then drain it well. ***You might want to wait until the very end to slice your avocado and top your bowl with it, as avocados tend to brown when exposed to air.
Nutrition
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One Comment on “General Tso’s Tofu Poke Bowl”
This is sooo good! Takes a bit of effort, but totally worth it!