To start things off for the new and improved blog, I’m actually posting a Melissa original — stir fry! Not very original, but I get excited every time I make up a meal without relying on a recipe. That’s definitely something I want to work more on — being innovative in the kitchen. I can’t take credit for the rice though; see below for recipe info. The only green veggies thing wasn’t intentional — it was clean out the fridge night. Feel free to use any of your favorite veggies in this dish.
Green Veggie & Tofu Stir Fry
- 1 lb. extra firm tofu – drained, pressed, and cut into cubes
- 4-5 Tbsp. cornstarch
- 3 Tbsp. vegetable oil
- handful of asparagus spears – tough ends removed and cut into 1/2″ pieces
- 2 small green bell peppers – cut into 1/2″ pieces
- several handfuls of broccoli florets (I used frozen – I just set the bag on the counter until everything else was chopped
- 1 medium onion – chopped
- 3 cloves garlic – chopped
- Stir-fry sauce (see below)
After the tofu has been cut into cubes, coat in cornstarch. Fry tofu in oil over med-high heat until browned (flipping over to get each side crispy). Once the tofu has browned, remove to a paper-towel covered plate to drain. Turn up the heat a little and add veggies to the pan. Stir fry veggies for 10 minutes or so, until seared and crisp-tender. Add tofu to pan and gently toss with veggies. Lower the heat to medium and add stir fry sauce. Cook a few minutes until sauce is thick and all tofu and veggies are coated.
Stir Fry Sauce
- 3 Tbsp. brown sugar
- 1/4 c. rice vinegar
- 1/4 c. soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp. oil (vegetable or sesame)
- 1 c. cold water
- 2 Tbsp. cornstarch
- 1 tsp. ground ginger
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- pinch or more of red pepper flakes (I probably used about 2 tsp.)
Add all ingredients to a saucepan and heat, whisking constantly, until thick and bubbly. If the sauce is still thin, add a little more cornstarch.
The Thai Fried Rice is a delicious vegan take on fried rice with coconut flakes, cashews, and sweet chili sauce (any pre-made kind will do; I used Aroma Chef Thai Sweet Chili Sauce, available at Wal-Mart). For this recipe, I left out the bok choy and vegan omelet, but stayed with the recipe for everything else. The recipe can be found on Vegan Dad’s blog here.
