Monday, May 12, 2014

Tofu and Vegetables with Stir Fry Sauce

Over the past few years, I have really come to appreciate tofu.  It is a great source of protein, low in calories and fat and does not contain any cholesterol.  It is available in many different textures, from silken, soft, firm, or extra firm.  For a crispy exterior for this recipe, make sure you buy the extra firm variety and press as much water out of it as you can.  Tofu has very little taste on its own, so it soaks up the flavor of whatever sauce you put on it.

 

Sauce:
2/3 C. Soy Sauce
1/2 C. Chicken Broth
1/3 C. Rice Vinegar
3 1/2 Tbsp. Sugar
1/2 Tbsp. Sesame Oil
1 Tbsp. Garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. Ginger, minced
2 Tbsp. Cornstarch

1 pkg. Extra Firm Tofu
1 Onion, Chopped
2 – 3 Carrots, peeled and sliced
2 C. Broccoli Florets
Cornstarch
Vegetable oil

Slice tofu into 1 x 1 ½ inch cubes. Place on paper towels. Cover with additional paper towels. Press gently but firmly to remove moisture. Replace the wet towels with dry towels. Place a large heavy plate on top of the towels and place in the fridge to continue to press the tofu while you chop the vegetables and make the sauce.
In a small saucepan, combine all ingredients for the sauce. Bring to a low boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Turn the heat to low and allow the sauce to simmer and thicken slightly. Add the vegetables to a large skillet. Add 3 -4 Tbsp. of water and cover with a tight fitting lid. Heat the skillet to medium high heat and steam the vegetables until crisp tender adding more water as necessary.
While the vegetables are cooking prep the tofu. Press again with dry towels to remove as much moisture as you can. Place tofu in large zip lock bag. Add roughly ¼ C. of cornstarch to bag. Shake to coat tofu pieces. Shake off excess cornstarch. Heat several cups of oil in a large heavy deep pan to around 350 degrees. In batches, carefully place tofu in the oil, avoiding overcrowding. Fry until tofu is golden and floats to the top of the oil. Remove with a slotted spoon and let drain on paper towels.
Once all of the tofu is cooked, add to the skillet with the vegetables. Pour in the sauce and toss to coat everything.