As someone from New York, where Chinese food is on every corner and as delicious as ever, I needed a plant-based option. I used to love Chinese food, but it wasn’t usually safe with my soy allergy, and now, being plant-based, it’s a definite no-go. Of course, I wasn’t going to just miss out. I mean, it’s delicious, and I need my occasional sesame chicken and crab rangoon or what my parents called cheese wontons to convince me to eat them. And yes, a recipe will be coming for the crabless, dairy-free cheese wontons!

Typically, plant-based alternatives to Chinese food are made from tofu. Tofu is a common way for vegans or plant-based people to get their daily protein, with 20 grams per cup. If you read my post, Should You Consume Soy Products, you know I don’t recommend tofu unless it’s organic. Nonetheless, with a soy allergy, that’s out of the question for me.

So when I was craving sesame chicken, I figured I’d make the dish myself, but of course, a mostly whole-food, plant-based version. Now, without further ado, I present my plant-based and vegan-friendly Chinese sesame pumfu. This recipe can be made free from dairy, gluten, grain, nuts, and soy. It takes 10 minutes to prepare, 30 minutes to marinate, and 20 minutes to cook, making 4 (or three hefty) servings.

Please note: If you need a soy and coconut-free recipe, I do not think there is an option. I use coconut aminos as a soy sauce replacement. If you have found a soy and coconut-free substitute for soy sauce, please let us know in the comments!

INGREDIENTS

• Oil of choice (I use cold-pressed avocado oil)
• 1/2 cup cornstarch or arrowroot powder (I use Anthony’s Arrowroot Flour)
• 1 tsp. grilling chicken seasoning (I use Watkin’s Organic Grilling Chicken Seasoning)
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper
• 1 block of Pumfu (I make homemade pumpkin seed tofu alternative)
• 6 oz. sesame sauce (I make my homemade Chinese sesame sauce)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Prep a pan by adding oil, turning the heat to medium-high, and letting it heat up while you proceed to the next step.
2. As the oil heats in the pan, combine the cornstarch or arrowroot powder, grilling chicken seasoning, Italian seasoning, pink salt, and black pepper in a Ziploc bag.
3. Next, prepare the Pumfu by tearing it up into bite-sized pieces (this method is my favorite for texture purposes and catching sauce). Then add the Pumfu to the Ziploc bag and shake it up until all pieces are coated evenly. I like to gently squeeze the Pumfu pieces so that the coating sticks (this also helps form the Pumfu and improve texture).
4. When the oil has heated, carefully place the Pumfu in the oil and fry for about five minutes on each side or until you’ve reached you’re desired color and texture (I prefer golden brown and crispy). If you’re using arrowroot powder, it’s normal for the Pumfu pieces to stick together. Once they’re cooked enough, they stop sticking. Just separate them as they cook, and be sure to cook all sides.
5. After frying, marinate the Pumfu in the sesame sauce for at least 30 minutes.
6. After marinating, cook it again over medium heat just long enough to warm the food and thicken the sauce. I like to serve this with a side of brown (or cauliflower) rice and steamed broccoli.

NOTES

• If you wish to omit the oil, you can make the pumfu using an air fryer or oven. I haven’t tried this method, but I’d recommend cooking at 400ºF for 10 minutes and then 5-minute increments until the desired golden color is achieved.

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Chinese Sesame Pumfu

A mostly whole-food, plant-based, and vegan-friendly Chinese Sesame Pumfu alternative. It is free from dairy, gluten, grain, nuts, and soy. It takes 10 minutes to prepare, 30 minutes to marinate, and 20 minutes to cook, making 4 (or three hefty) servings.

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time20 minutes mins

Marination Time30 minutes mins

Total Time1 hour hr

Servings 4

Recipe by: Sarena-Rae Santos (The Holistic Hipppie)

Ingredients

1x2x3x

• Oil of choice (I use cold-pressed avocado oil)
• 1/2 cup cornstarch or arrowroot powder (I use Anthony’s Arrowroot Flour)
• 1 tsp. grilling chicken seasoning (I use Watkin’s Organic Grilling Chicken Seasoning)
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper
• 1 block of Pumfu (I make homemade pumpkin seed tofu alternative)
• 6 oz. sesame sauce (I make my homemade Chinese sesame sauce)

Get Recipe Ingredients

Instructions

• Prep a pan by adding oil, turning the heat to medium-high, and letting it heat up while you proceed to the next step.
• As the oil heats in the pan, combine the cornstarch or arrowroot powder, grilling chicken seasoning, Italian seasoning, pink salt, and black pepper in a Ziploc bag.
• Next, prepare the Pumfu by tearing it up into bite-sized pieces (this method is my favorite for texture purposes and catching sauce). Then add the Pumfu to the Ziploc bag and shake it up until all pieces are coated evenly. I like to gently squeeze the Pumfu pieces so that the coating sticks (this also helps form the Pumfu and improve texture).
• When the oil has heated, carefully place the Pumfu in the oil and fry for about five minutes on each side or until you've reached you're desired color and texture (I prefer golden brown and crispy). If you're using arrowroot powder, it's normal for the Pumfu pieces to stick together. Once they're cooked enough, they stop sticking. Just separate them as they cook, and be sure to cook all sides. 
• After frying, marinate the Pumfu in the sesame sauce for at least 30 minutes.
• After marinating, cook it again over medium heat just long enough to warm the food and thicken the sauce. I like to serve this with a side of brown (or cauliflower) rice and steamed broccoli.

Notes

• If you wish to omit the oil, you can make the pumfu using an air fryer or oven. I haven’t tried this method, but I’d recommend cooking at 400ºF for 10 minutes and then 5-minute increments until the desired golden color is achieved.

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