Kelly Rossiter
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I've often heard people say that they like Chinese food, but they can't stand tofu. If you're one of those people, give it another try. The recipe I usually make to win someone over is Ginger Garlic Tofu. Tofu is a great source of protein and the ways of cooking it are limitless. A pretty easy way to slip tofu into your diet is in soup but you can also stir fry it, bake it, or grill it. If you have a great marinade for chicken or beef, it will work just as well for tofu.
This is a recipe I have made many times because it's easy and delicious. You can toss in any vegetables such as cauliflower, broccoli, peppers, green beans, snow peas, anything that you have on hand that suits an Asian sauce. There are different levels of firmness for tofu, and in this recipe you need something firm or extra firm to hold it's shape. I sometimes have trouble getting my tofu crispy, but it worked perfectly this time with a wonderful crust forming on the outside of the tofu. I'm writing this recipe out from memory, so I hope I get it right.
Black Bean Tofu
1/4 cup plus 3 tbsp soy sauce
1" fresh ginger, peeled and minced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tbsp peanut or vegetable oil
1 onion, diced
1 lb firm or extra firm tofu
1 cup any vegetable, cut into bite size pieces
3 tbsp fermented black beans, rinsed
1 tbsp szechuan chili sauce
1 1/2 cup chicken or vegetable stock
1 tbsp corn starch
- Place 3 tbsp soy sauce in a bowl with the ginger and 1 clove of garlic and add the tofu, stirring to cover with marinade. Cover and let sit at least 30 minutes, longer if you can.
- In a wok or large skillet, heat oil and add onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add second clove of garlic and cook until golden brown. Add tofu and let it cook for several minutes without stirring, until a crust forms.
- Add vegetables and stir fry until tender. When vegetables are tender stir in black beans and chili sauce and heat until fragrant, a minute or two. Add the chicken stock and heat through. Mix the corn starch with a tbsp or so of water and add to the wok, stirring as it thickens. Serve over steamed rice or noodles.
Difficulty Level: Easy
Adapted from A Spoonful of Ginger by Nina Simonds
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