Kung Pao Tofu

How we made this diabetes-appropriate

1. The salty-sweet kung pao sauce is typically loaded with dark soy sauce and sugar. Because diabetes is linked to an increased risk of heart disease, we cut the sodium by calling for reduced-sodium soy sauce combined with molasses which performs double-duty here, adding sweetness and the classic dark color. To keep the amount of added sugar in check, we kept the amount of molasses (or plain sugar as an alternative) to a minimum, balancing the flavor with sesame oil, Shaoxing wine and rice vinegar instead.

2. Plenty of health benefits are associated with eating more vegetables, including fighting inflammation and improving blood pressure. With that in mind, we bulked up on bell peppers, celery and onion for a veggie-heavy dish.

Tips from the Test Kitchen

I don’t like tofu. Is there another protein I can substitute?

Chicken breast or shrimp work well too. If you are working with an alternative protein, you may have to cook it a little bit longer than stated in the original recipe. Chicken should no longer be pink on the inside or outside and shrimp should be pink and no longer opaque.

What is Shaoxing and where can I find it?

Shaoxing is a Chinese rice wine from the city of Shaoxing in China’s Zhejiang province. Its flavor is key to many Chinese dishes. It can be found in well-stocked grocery stores and Asian grocery stores. If you can’t find it, dry sherry is a good substitute.

Can I substitute ground ginger or ginger paste for the fresh ginger?

Both ground ginger and ginger paste can be substituted for the fresh ginger. If using ground ginger, cut the amount back to 1/2 teaspoon and whisk it into the sauce instead of stir-frying it with the garlic and scallion.

What do you serve with Kung Pao Tofu?

Kung Pao Tofu is typically served over rice, but lo mein or regular whole-wheat noodles work well too. If you’re serving it with rice, brown rice offers more fiber than white.

I don’t have a wok or cast-iron skillet; can I use a nonstick skillet?

Yes, a nonstick skillet will work interchangeably with both a wok and a cast-iron skillet.