Indo-Chinese Schezwan tofu “paneer” is a super quick weeknight stir fry which needs just one pan and 30 minutes. This dish uses a few ingredients and is packed with veggies and FLAVOR!

Recipe Snapshot

  • Prep time: 10 minutes
  • Cook time: 20 minutes
  • Total time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 4
  • Category: Main Course
  • Cuisine: Chinese, Indian-Chinese

Ingredients

For the tofu

  • 14 ounces firm or extra firm tofu (pressed for at least 15 minutes and then sliced into shapes that you like)
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder (or use paprika)
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch (or other starch such as tapioca or arrowroot)
  • 1 teaspoon oil

For the stir fry

  • 1 teaspoon oil
  • 2 cloves garlic (minced)
  • 1/4 cup chopped onion (chopped into 3/4” squares or petals or thick slices)
  • 1/4 cup chopped celery (optional)
  • 1/2 or 1 bell pepper (chopped into 3/4” squares or thick slices)

For the Schezwan sauce

  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce (or use tamari for gluten free)
  • 1 tablespoon ketchup
  • 4 to 5 tablespoons Schezwan sauce (or schezwan chutney (see recipe notes for a quick recipe))
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup
  • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch (mixed with 1/2 cup of water)

For garnish

  • green onion, sesame seeds, pepper flakes

Method

Make the tofu first.

  1. Press and slice the tofu, if you haven't already, and add to a bowl.
  2. In a small bowl, mix the black pepper, Kashmiri chili powder, cornstarch, and salt. Mix really well, then sprinkle all of that over the tofu. Toss well to coat.
  3. Heat a teaspoon of oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Once hot, add the coated tofu and cook until most of the edges of the tofu are golden. Flip the tofu after a few minutes to continue to cook the other edges of the tofu. It will take 5 to 7 minutes.
  4. Then remove the tofu from the skillet into a bowl.

Now, make the stir fry and Schezwan sauce.

  1. Add another teaspoon of oil and heat over medium heat. Then, add in the garlic and mix in for a few seconds until it's starting to get translucent.
  2. Increase the heat to medium high. Add in the onion, celery, bell pepper, and a good pinch of salt and cook for 2 minutes.
  3. Add in all of the sauces, except the cornstarch mixture, and bring to a boil. Half a minute
  4. Mix the cornstarch into the water, and add that to the skillet. Mix well, and bring to a boil, then add in the crisped up tofu, tossing well to coat. Switch off heat and let the mixture sit for a few minutes.
  5. Garnish with green onions, sesame seeds, and pepper flakes and serve over rice, noodles, or quinoa.

Kiyaan Singh’s Kitchen Note

Keep this recipe as a working base: cook once as written, then adjust spice, texture, and serving style for your own table.