Vegan/Vegetarian Tofu Stir Fry

Hi All ~

I definitely struggled with what to make these past few days. Unfortunately, being a college student without a car means it's hard to get to the grocery store. I only go grocery shopping once a week or so, and it's particularly difficult when trying to be healthy, as produce goes bad very quickly.

My trick is to buy things that I know will hopefully last. I bought a huge bag of green beans from Costco on instacart.com late last week, and they've lasted me up until now; I also had a red bell pepper that I had to use up, and a big block of tofu. So, what better way to use up all my ingredients than to make a somewhat-healthy, definitely delicious stir fry?

This stir fry can be made with a variety of different vegetables; I simply chose bell pepper and green beans because it's what I had in my fridge. You can make it with carrots, bok choy, onions, snap peas, whatever you feel like!

Ingredients:

Stir Fry:

• 1 14 oz package of extra firm tofu
• 2 cups of green beans
• 3-4 cloves garlic
• 1 medium red bell pepper
• 2 tbsp sesame oil
• 2 tbsp vegetable or coconut oil
• 1 cup rice

Sauce:

• 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce 
• 1 Tbsp fresh grated ginger
• 2 Tbsp brown sugar
• 1 Tbsp honey (maple syrup or agave for vegan)
• 1 Tbsp corn starch
• 1/3 Tbsp gochujang - optional (This is a Korean chili paste. It can also be subbed for Sriracha or hot pepper flakes)

Tools:

• Large wok or frying pan with a cover
• Spatula or cooking spoon
• A large chopping knife
• A cutting board
• A bowl for the sauce
• A fork for whisking
• A couple of plates.

Directions:

1. Dry out the tofu

Take the tofu out of the package; set it on a paper towel lined plate, and cover it with another paper towel. Put a plate or something heavy-ish on top of it; this will ensure that most of the moisture dries out.

2. Cut your vegetables and make your rice

While the tofu is drying, wash your vegetables and chop them. For the green beans, if they are french cut like the ones I use, chop of the ends and then chop them in half if they are too long. The bell pepper can be cut in long, thin strips. You can chop the garlic in a food processor, if you have one; if not, you can chop it by hand. If you are having this dish with rice, you can start making it now; you can find how to make rice in a pot here.

3. Fry your tofu

Heat your large wok over high heat. Once warmed, drizzle with two tablespoons of vegetable oil. Add in the tofu - fry until the tofu turns a nice golden brown, and is a little tougher. This will give the tofu a meatier texture; if you like your tofu softer, fry it less. Once it is at the desired color, pour the tofu onto a paper towel lined plate. 

4. Make the stir-fry sauce

Mix the sauce ingredients together in a small bowl. Whisk the ingredients until they are fully dissolved. If you are using gochujang, make sure that it is dissolved, as it tends to be sticky and clumpy.

5. Fry your vegetables

Heat the pan on medium-high heat again. Coat the pan with the two tablespoons of sesame seed oil. Add in your green beans and garlic, and use a spatula to thoroughly coat the beans in the oil. After about 2 minutes, add in your bell peppers. Stir fry the vegetables for a little, then add in a tablespoon of water, and cover for about 2 - 3 minutes to soften the vegetables.

6. Add in tofu and sauce

Once the vegetables are sufficiently softened (you can taste them just in case), add the tofu back into the pan, and drizzle the sauce over the stir fry. Fry for a few more minutes, or until the sauce becomes less watery

7. Time to eat!

Spoon your stir fry over rice, or eat it plain! You can also sprinkle it with some sesame seeds, if you have them on hand.

If you made this recipe, let me know how it turned out! You can comment on this post, or tag or hashtag me at kitchen512 on Instagram or Twitter. If you'd like me to learn how to make any recipes, or if you have any questions or comments, you can email me at eatsatkitchen512@gmail.com

Happy Eating!

-Tiffany