039 / 75 · Tofu, Eggs and Everyday Vegetarian Meals

Crispy Tofu with Orange Broccoli

2 bowls, each with half the tofu, broccoli, orange sauce and rice · Active 35 min · Total 55 min

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Firm tofu browns more readily when its surface is dry and the sauce waits until the end. In this meal, broccoli is steamed separately while a fresh orange mixture becomes a light glaze in the skillet. Plain rice catches what remains. The dish teaches a sequence worth remembering: dry, brown, then sauce. Pouring orange juice into the pan at the beginning would give a steamed tofu dish instead.

Jump to ingredients

Original hand-drawn illustration of crispy tofu with orange broccoli.

Dry the surface without crushing the cubes

Drain the tofu package and weigh the edible block before patting it dry. Choose plain firm calcium-set tofu for the stated estimate; silken tofu will break in this method, while a very dense extra-firm product has a different moisture content. Cut even cubes and blot all faces with a clean towel. They do not need a heavy stack of books or a long press, but they do need their surface water removed before a thin dusting of cornstarch goes on.

Give the pan room to work

Use the wide nonstick skillet specified so the cubes sit in one layer with small spaces between them. Leave the first broad face alone until it develops color and releases, then turn with a thin spatula. Tofu is not a raw poultry ingredient, but follow any cooking directions on the product. The time here is for heating plain firm tofu and making browned edges, not for assuming every flavored or frozen product behaves identically.

Stir the starch again at the last moment

Cornstarch settles in a bowl, so stir the orange mixture just before pouring it into the pan. Once heated, it turns from cloudy to a thin glossy coating. Lower the heat and toss briefly rather than reducing until it becomes a sticky candy. No orange segments or sesame topping are hidden outside the ingredient list. The estimate includes the dry rice, all measured oil and the full sauce; brand moisture differences in tofu remain a real source of variation.

Ingredients

  • Plain firm tofu set with calcium sulfate, drained (300 g before patting dry)
  • About 4 cups broccoli florets and thinly sliced peeled stalk (300 g prepared)
  • 1/2 cup dry long-grain white rice (100 g)
  • About 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon water for rice (200 ml), or packet-specified amount
  • 1/2 cup fresh orange juice (120 ml/about 125 g)
  • 1 tablespoon ordinary soy sauce (15 ml/about 16 g)
  • 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon cornstarch (10 g), divided
  • 4 teaspoons olive oil (20 ml/about 18 g)
  • 1 garlic clove, finely grated (3 g)
  • 1 teaspoon finely grated ginger (2 g)
  • 1 teaspoon sugar (4 g)
  • 1 tablespoon water for sauce (15 ml)

Set out

Medium saucepan with tight lid for rice, Saucepan with steamer insert and lid, 30 cm/12-inch nonstick skillet, Thin spatula, Small bowl, Clean towel, Kitchen scale, Measuring jug, Food thermometer, 2 bowls

Allergens

Soy, Wheat in ordinary soy sauce; check all product labels. Check labels and substitutions.

Make it

  1. Rinse rice and cook it in the measured water, or the amount required by its packet. For a typical long-grain product, bring to a boil, cover and simmer on low for 15–18 minutes, then rest covered off the heat for 5 minutes. Keep hot for immediate serving.
  2. Meanwhile drain and weigh tofu, blot dry, cut into even 3/4-inch (2 cm) cubes and blot again. Toss gently with about 2 teaspoons (6 g) of the cornstarch just before frying. In the small bowl, whisk orange juice, soy sauce, remaining cornstarch, garlic, ginger, sugar and sauce water.
  3. Heat oil in the wide skillet over medium-high heat. Add tofu in one layer and cook for 10–12 minutes, turning occasionally once the underside is golden, until heated through with browned faces. Follow any additional product cooking directions.
  4. While tofu browns, bring water to a simmer beneath the steamer. Steam broccoli for 4–5 minutes until tender enough to bite, then drain well. Stir the orange mixture again, lower skillet heat to medium-low and pour it over the tofu. Let it bubble gently for 1–2 minutes until glossy, tossing carefully; fold in drained broccoli.
  5. Divide all hot rice between 2 bowls and top with all tofu, broccoli and orange sauce. Serve immediately.

A useful kitchen skill

Dry tofu before browning and stir a settled cornstarch sauce immediately before adding it to heat.

A useful detail

The estimate uses 300 g plain calcium-set firm tofu, weighed after draining the pack but before surface drying, plus 100 g dry rice. Tofu labels vary substantially. The full 10 g cornstarch is split between dusting and sauce, not used twice.

Another way

  • Use 300 g small cauliflower florets instead of broccoli, steaming for 6–8 minutes until tender before glazing; recalculate for the changed vegetable.
  • Replace white rice with 100 g dry brown rice, following its longer packet cooking time and hydration; the total and estimate change.

Keep it well

For leftovers, spread rice and the tofu-broccoli mixture separately into shallow containers and chill quickly, ideally within 1 hour of the rice’s original cooking. Refrigerate at 40°F/4°C or below and use within 24 hours of that original cooking time. Reheat rice no more than once, with the whole serving reaching 165°F/74°C throughout, then eat immediately. Discard uneaten reheated portions; cooling them again does not restart the clock.