Singaporean Sweet and Sour Plate

By Vegiegail

From Chat Mingkwan's Asian Fusion
The best sweet and sour dish we've ever eaten!

Ingredients

• 2 Tbs light soy sauce, or more to taste
• 2 Tbs vegetarian or mushroom stir-fry sauce
• 1/3 cup sweet chili sauce
• 3 Tbs rice vinegar
• 2 Tbs sugar, or more to taste
• 2 Tbs cornstarch
• 1 Tbs tomato paste (for red color; optional—but I used it!)
• 1 Tbs sambal oelek (Indonesian hot chile sauce) or sriracha sauce (I omitted this ingredient)
• 1 small orange, zest and juice
• 3 Tbs vegetable oil (I used 1 1/2 Tbs)
• 2 cups julienned tofu (3/4 - 1 lb)
• 3 Tbs minced garlic
• 1 cup finely diced water chestnuts
• 1 cup finely diced onion
• 1 cup finely diced pineapple or apple
• 1 cup finely diced colorful bell peppers
• Salt and ground pepper, to taste
• 1/2 cup roasted cashew nuts (optional—I used raw)
• 1/2 cup sliced green onions, both green and white parts, cut into 1-inch-long strips
• 4 springs fresh cilantro, leaves only, for garnish

Details

Servings 6

Preparation

Step 1

Combine the soy sauce, stir-fry sauce, sweet chile sauce, vinegar, sugar, cornstarch, optional tomato paste, optional sambal oelek, and orange zest and juice in a small bowl. Stir to mix well. Set aside.

Heat the oil in a wok over high heat. Add the tofu and cook for 2-3 minutes, until light brown and crispy all over. Add the glaric and cook and stir for 1-2 minutes. Stir in the water chestnuts, onion, pineapple, and bell peppers. Cook and stir for 2-3 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Remove the mixture from the wok and set aside.

In the same wok, stir in the soy sauce mixture. Cook and stir for 2-5 minutes, until the sauce thickens into a gravy. It should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Add a little water if the sauce is too thick or too dry. Adjust the seasonings to taste.

Stir in the reserved tofu mixture and toss to coat evenly with the gravy. Just before removing from the heat, stir in the cashew nuts and green onions.

Transfer to a serving platter. Garnish with cilantro.

*NOTE: I made double the amount of sauce.