Szechuan-Style Sweet-and-Sour Cubes Recipe

Szechuan-Style Sweet-and-Sour Cubes Recipe

  • 2 cups (about 1 pound) seitan cubes (1 inch)
  • Oil for deep-frying
  • 1 can (20 ounces) unsweetened pineapple chunks with juice
  • 2 tablespoons arrowroot flour
  • ¼ cup water
  • ½ teaspoon natural soy sauce
  • A few drops Chinese hot pepper oil, or Tabasco sauce
  • 2 teaspoons brown rice vinegar or cider vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons brown rice syrup, barley malt syrup, or honey
  • 2 scallions, cut lengthwise into 2-inch strips
  • ½ medium red bell pepper, cut into 2-inch squares
  • ½ medium green bell pepper, cut into 2-inch squares
  1. Heat 2-3 inches of oil in a 3- or 4-quart saucepan. Without overcrowding the pan, deep-fry the seitan cubes until crispy on all sides (3-5 minutes) . Place the cubes on absorbent paper towels to remove any excess oil.
  2. Drain the pineapple, reserving the juice. Add enough water to the juice to total 1½ cups of liquid. Heat the juice in a large saucepan over medium-low heat.
  3. While the juice is heating, dissolve the arrowroot in ¼ cup of water. Add the soy sauce, pepper oil, vinegar, and syrup to the arrowroot. Stir this mixture into the hot pineapple juice and stir until the sauce is thick and clear (2-5 minutes). Add the peppers, pineapple chunks, seitan cubes, and scallions, and heat thoroughly. Be careful not to overcook this dish or the sauce will become watery.
  4. Serve with rice or noodles.