Tofu Stir Fried w/Snow Peas

By mariannefeldman

STIR-FRIED SNOW PEAS WITH TOFU
cooksillustrated.com
Serves 4. From Perfect Vegetables.

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:
We wanted peas that retained their color, fresh flavor, and, most important, their crunch, for our stir-fried snow peas and tofu recipe, so we worked quickly, since snow peas take just a few minutes to cook. The classic stir-fry flavors of garlic and ginger work well with snow peas; we added the aromatics as soon as the peas were bright green. After a few seconds, we added some chicken broth to our stir-fried snow peas and tofu recipe, which immediately reduced to a glaze, and the snow peas were ready to serve.

Be sure to drain the tofu well and pat it dry with paper towels. If the tofu is too wet, it will splatter when it hits the hot oil.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce (vegetarian)
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons dry sherry
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons peanut oil
• 8 ounces extra-firm tofu , drained, dried well with paper towels, and cut into 1 by 1 by 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 pound snow peas , tips pulled off and strings removed
• 2 medium cloves garlic , minced or pressed through a garlic press
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh ginger , minced

Preparation

Step 1

1. Mix the hoisin sauce, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, sherry, and sesame oil together in a small bowl. Set aside.

2. Heat 1 tablespoon of the peanut oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over high heat until almost smoking. Add the tofu and cook until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Flip the tofu over and cook until the other side is golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes longer. Transfer the tofu to a plate.

3. Add 2 teaspoons of the peanut oil to the empty skillet and swirl to coat. Add the snow peas and cook, stirring frequently, until bright green, about 2 minutes. Clear the center of the pan, add the garlic and ginger, and drizzle with the remaining 1 teaspoon peanut oil. Mash the garlic and ginger with the back of a spatula. Cook for 10 seconds and then mix with the snow peas. Add the tofu and sauce, stir, and cook for 1 minute longer. Serve immediately.

TECHNIQUE
Stringing Snow Peas and Snap Peas


Rip off the tip of the snow pea and pull along the flat side of the pod to remove the string at the same time.