Do you love Chinese food but can’t eat soy?
David had pretty much given up on eating Chinese food, as would anyone else with his set of allergies — soy, sesame, peanut, tree nut, to name a few! I would always secretly indulge in my Chinese food cravings while he was away. Now that he is no longer living and working in Cleveland, OH, these Chinese food binges have become a thing of the past, unlike my cravings. The solution: find a way for someone with soy, sesame, peanut and tree nut allergies to eat a home cooked Chinese meal. This is still a work in progress, but I found one meal that definitely hits the spot — General Tso’s chicken (using our bevalier kitchen* imitation soy sauce)!
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- Fish
- Shellfish
- Milk
- Egg
- Peanuts
- Tree nuts
- Soy
Learn more about David Safe foods.
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- Wheat or gluten
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[gdlr_icon type=”fa-cutlery” size=”60px” color=”#ffffff”][gdlr_heading tag=”h3″ size=”24px” color=”#ffffff” font_weight=”bold”]Ingredients for General Tso’s Chicken[/gdlr_heading]
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[gdlr_heading tag=”h2″ size=”24px” color=”#ffffff” font_weight=”bold”]4 servings — 30 minutes prep time[/gdlr_heading]
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into 1 inch pieces
- ½ cup all purpose flour
- 4 Tbsp canola oil
- ¼ cup sugar
- ¼ cup pineapple juice**
- ¼ cup “imitation soy sauce”***
- ¼ cup white distilled vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/8 tsp dry ginger
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 Tbsp cornstarch mixed with 3 Tbsp water
- 2 scallions, diced
- Crushed red pepper, to taste
**If you can’t find pineapple juice or don’t want to buy a huge container of it, you can use the pineapple juice from a can of pineapple slices or pineapple chunks. Just make sure that the pineapple is in pineapple juice and not any kind of syrup.
***Imitation soy sauce is very easy to make and can be stored in a mason jar in the fridge for 2-3 weeks. Look further down the page for the recipe.
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Instructions for Cooking General Tso’s Chicken:
- Dredge chicken in flour and fry in oil over medium heat until golden brown and crispy. Sprinkle cayenne over the chicken and keep warm. Meanwhile, combine sauce ingredients (sugar, soy sauce, pineapple juice, vinegar, garlic and ginger) in a sauce pan. Heat until smooth and the sugar is dissolved. Slowly add cornstarch mixture to sauce until it has reached the desired thickness.
- Pour sauce over chicken to coat. Stir in green onion and crushed red pepper flakes. Remove from heat and serve with rice.
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[gdlr_icon type=”fa-cutlery” size=”60px” color=”#ffffff”][gdlr_heading tag=”h3″ size=”24px” color=”#ffffff” font_weight=”bold”]Imitation Soy Sauce Ingredients[/gdlr_heading]
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[gdlr_heading tag=”h3″ size=”24px” color=”#ffffff” font_weight=”bold”]Makes 1 cup[/gdlr_heading]
- 4 cups low sodium beef broth
- 4 tsp cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoon molasses
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- Dash black pepper
- Dash garlic powder
- Dash onion powder
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Instructions for Creating Imitation Soy Sauce:
- Combine all ingredients in a sauce pan and boil uncovered until reduced to 1 cup.
- Store in fridge and shake before using.
Soy sauce is a very common ingredient in Asian dishes. We hope that this post helps to introduce (or re-introduce) Asian food to anyone who suffers from a soy allergy or soy intolerance. While we have found a great substitute to address David’s soy allergy, we are still searching for ways to get around his other serious allergens that pop up in Asian cuisine — peanuts, sesame and tree nuts. We hope to get back to you soon with suitable recipes and substitutions.
Until then, Bon Appétit!
Wow, Chinese food tastes great. I never thought I’d be able to eat General Tso’s Chicken but now I can – thank you Amy![/gdlr_tab]
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