This recipe was inspired by and a mashup of two Kung Pao recipes I recently came across online. One was from Serious Eats by J. Kenji López-Alt, who fried tofu in a batter laced with vodka (more on that below), and a batterless Kung Pao Brussels Sprouts over at Bon Appétit.

I’ve never heard of adding vodka to a fry batter before, but was more than happy to give it a try after finding a dusty bottle of it after a brief root through our cabinets. According to López-Alt, the vodka works nicely with the blend of cornstarch and flour, acting as a binder that helps the batter evaporate quickly—keeping whatever you batter crisp, even when it’s coated in sauce. It’s true! This batter stayed super crispy and looked really beautiful (even after we finished shooting these photos and ate it ice cold. 🙂 )

Kung Pao anything is best prepared in a wok, but I don’t have one, so a Dutch oven worked for me. If frying isn’t your thing, and your are wok-less like me, you can roast the trimmed and halved Brussels sprouts with a little oil in a 425-degree oven for 20-30 minutes, turning a few times for even cooking.

Looking for similar recipes? Check these out! 🙂

General Tso’s Cauliflower

Tofu with General Tso’s Sauce

Sweet and Sour Mock Chicken Sir Fry

Sweet and Sticky Cashew Tofu

Quick and Easy Carrot-Ginger Tofu

Quick and Easy Tofu with Ramen Noodles