Basic Stir Fry

It’s a rock and roll week, with vendor beatings, project startups, and all the attendant things associated with keeping an apprentice.

I’ve not a lot of time this day so I shall run straight to a house classic: Stir Fried Tofu. Whilst a number of you roll your eyes and think, “Dog-Sh*t and Tofu,” there are methods to convert that block of stuff into a damned good meat substitute.

Freezing:

There is no trick to freezing tofu, and don’t believe anyone who tries to get you to do any “prep work.” Cutting the tofu in to chunks or pressing prior to freezing will just defeat the purpose of freezing.

The easiest way is the best way—stick it in the freezer in the packaging. Once frozen, they’ll look completely wrong; the color will become dark yellow and translucent, as per the picture above.

The tofu doesn’t need to be frozen for any particular time; you can thaw it as soon as it’s completely frozen or leave it there until you want to use it. Let it thaw in its packaging in the fridge; timing will depend on the size of the tofu.

Once thawed, slice and press as usual.

Pressing:

Wrap the tofu in a clean tea towel or paper towel, place it on a flat surface, and top it with something heavy like a skillet, cutting board, cans, or books. Press for at least 30 minutes, but longer pressing can yield firmer results. You can also place the wrapped tofu on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any excess liquid. After pressing, unwrap the tofu, and it’s ready to use.

Dusting:

Remove the tofu from the press and toss with enough cornstarch to coat it. This is what will create that crispy exterior! You could also use other starchs, but they can make a slimy texture when adding the tofu to a sauce, so cornstarch is my favorite.

Wikipedia cites Tofu as:

Tofu is a food prepared by coagulating soy milk and then pressing the resulting curds into solid white blocks of varying softness: silken, soft, firm, extra (or super) firm. Tofu is also known as bean curd in English. It is a traditional component of East Asian and Southeast Asian cuisines that has also been consumed in China for over 2,000 years. In modern Western cooking, it is sometimes used as a meat substitute.

Nutritionally, tofu is low in calories, while containing a relatively large amount of protein. It is high in iron, and can have a high calcium or magnesium content depending on the coagulants (e.g. calcium chloride, calcium sulphate, magnesium sulphate) used in manufacturing.

Spicy Tofu Stir Fry

Vegetarian with a kick

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

30 minutes mins

Total Time 55 minutes mins

Course Dinner, Lunch, Main Course

Cuisine Asian

Servings 4 people

Calories 255 kcal

Equipment

• 1 Wok Or heavy skillet

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 pkg Tofu Extra Firm, pressed and cubed to 1/2"
• 2 tbsp Neutral Oil
• 1 bunch Scallions Washed, cut thinly, greens seperated
• 1 Ea Bell Pepper Small, seeded, cut to strips
• 1 ea Onion Peeled, cut to strips
• 1 rib Celery Washed, cut to strips
• 1 tbsp Corn Starch
• 1 ea carrot washed, peeled, cut to match sticks

Sauce

• 2 tbsp Gochujang Adjust to your desired heat level
• 2 tbsp Grated Ginger
• 3 tbsp Soy Sauce Low Sodium
• 3 tbsp Minced Garlic
• 1 tbsp Corn Starch
• 1 tbsp Sesame Oil Toasted is so nice
• 1 tbsp Mirin
• 1 tbsp Honey

Instructions

 

Sauce

• Add all to a small bowl and mix well, set aside and reserve
• Taste, adjust the seasoning, and balance the flavor.

Stir Fry

• Toss the tofu cubes in cornstarch and set aside
• In a wok or heavy skillet over medium-high heat, add 1 tbsp of oil, whence it shimmers add the onion, carrot, celery, scallion white, and bell pepper
• Stir fry until the vegetables are tender-crisp and start to take color, ~ 5 minutes
• Remove to a plate, refresh the oil with a second tbsp and bring to a shimmer
• Add the tofu and sautee until it takes color and is crisp, ~ 5 minutes
• Return the vegetables to the wok, and toss to mix
• Add the sauce and cook a minute longer until the sauce thickens, then toss to coat/glaze.
• Serve over rice, noodles, etc. Garnish with scallion green

Notes

Serve this over rice, noodles, mashed potatoes, or your favorite carb.

A reasonably quick, healthy, tasty weeknight meal.

Adding steamed broccoli or cauliflower is an option, ditto some snow peas that have been sauteed/blistered in a hot and fast fashion.

Nutrition

Calories: 255kcalCarbohydrates: 20gProtein: 11gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 6gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0.03gSodium: 806mgPotassium: 150mgFiber: 2gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 129IUVitamin C: 7mgCalcium: 157mgIron: 2mg

Keyword Sauce, Spicy, Stir Fry, Tofu

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!