Go Back
–+ servings

Sticky Lemon Tofu

Sweet and sour Chinese inspired tofu in a yummy lemon sauce. It's plate licking good and ready in 30 mins!
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 2 as a main, or double as a side

Ingredients

For the crispy tofu

  • 1 pack (300 g) extra firm tofu
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • ¼ cup (30 g) cornstarch
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil

For the lemon sauce

  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 4 cloves garlic finely chopped or minced
  • 1 piece ginger 1 inch/3cm long, finely chopped or grated
  • ¼ cup (60 ml) water
  • ¼ tsp stock powder or bouillon
  • ¼ cup (60 ml) lemon juice
  • 1 tsp lemon zest
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • ¼ cup (50 g) sugar
  • 2 tsp cornstarch mixed with 2 tsp water

Instructions

  • Drain the tofu and cut it into bite size cubes.
  • Place the cubes in a mixing bowl, drizzle the soy sauce over them and stir gently.
  • Then add the cornstarch, season with salt and pepper, and stir until the tofu is coated evenly.
  • In a large frying pan on medium-high heat, heat up the oil. When it's hot add the coated tofu cubes and fry until they are golden brown. Turn them over using tongs or a spatula to get the tofu evenly fried.
  • When the tofu is cooked, transfer it to a plate so you can use the pan to make the sauce.
  • Reduce heat to medium. Add more oil to the frying pan, followed by minced garlic and ginger. Fry for 1 minute.
  • Then add the water, stock powder, lemon juice, zest, soy sauce and sugar and stir together.
  • Finally mix the cornstarch with 2 teaspoons of water, and add this slurry to the pan while stirring. Simmer the sauce until it's thick and sticky. Stir frequently.
  • Combine the tofu with the sauce and serve with rice, noodles or veggies of your choice. Garnish with spring onions or sesame seeds.

Notes

Orange version
We adapted this recipe to make our sticky orange tofu. We like it better than just substituting orange juice for lemon juice directly in this recipe, as it has some vinegar for more tang and some chili for a bit of warm heat. 
For Gluten Free
Use tamari or gluten free soy sauce and make sure your stock powder is gluten free.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving as main | Calories: 580kcal | Carbohydrates: 49g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 12g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 0.03mg | Sodium: 1691mg | Potassium: 119mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 26g | Vitamin A: 6IU | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 137mg | Iron: 4mg
QR Code

Scan me

Visit the blogpost for step by step photos, substitutions, storage tips and to leave a review!