CRISPY, STICKY TOFU STIR-FRY WITH BROCCOLINI AND GREEN BEANS

Posted on by Laura Geraty – By

The secret to crispy tofu is all in the prep. Some people swear by freezing and thawing tofu but my tried and true method is to give it a good press, then cube or crumble it, season it with salt and pepper and toss it with cornstarch. From there, all it needs is a short stint under high heat to get crisp on the outside while remaining bouncy and moist within. 

Use that crispy tofu however you like – as a topper for a kale caesar, on top of sesame noodles, dipped in BBQ sauce, etc. My favorite way to use it is in flavorful stir-fry like this. While this stir-fry is best hot from the stovetop, I usually double the recipe and enjoy it for lunch throughout the week.

Crispy, Sticky Tofu Stir-Fry with Broccolini and Green Beans

Ingredients

For tofu….

  • 2 1-lb packages tofu 
  • Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
  • Granulated garlic (optional)
  • 3 tbsp cornstarch
  • 2 tbsp neutral oil like grapeseed, vegetable or canola (olive oil is fine)

For sauce…

  • 3 tbsp water
  • 2 tsp cornstarch  
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1-2 inch piece of ginger, skin removed and minced
  • 5 tbsp soy sauce (1/4 cup + 1 tbsp)
  • 4 tbsp honey (1/4 cup)
  • 6 tbsp rice wine vinegar (1/4 cup + 2 tbsp)
  • red pepper flakes or favorite hot sauce like chili paste or sriracha to taste (I left out for my kiddos’ sake)

For vegetables…

  • 2 tbsp neutral oil (suggestions above)
  • 2 bunches broccolini, edges trimmed and sliced in half lengthwise if stalk is thick 
  • 1 lb green beans, ends trimmed if necessary
  • Salt and pep
  • 1-2 tbsp sesame seeds

To serve: rice of choice, fresh cilantro, lime wedges

Method
  1. Wrap tofu in paper towels or a clean kitchen cloth and press under something heavy like a cast iron skillet for as long as you have – overnight or even 10 minutes. Preheat oven to 425 (on convection if you have it).
  2. Cut pressed tofu into 1-2 inch squares or rectangles, or crumble by hand and place on a parchment lined sheet tray. Season generously with kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper and granulated garlic. Then sprinkle with the cornstarch and toss, toss, toss. It will seem like a lot but will eventually stick to the tofu. Drizzle with neutral oil and toss again. Roast for 25-30 minutes, flipping after the first 15 min. The tofu should be nice and crisp. 
  3. Make stir-fry sauce by mixing all ingredients together.
  4. Place large skillet over high heat. When piping hot, add the oil, vegetables and a pinch of kosher salt. Let them get charred on one side for about 4-5 minutes, then give them a good toss and leave them alone again to get charred on a second side. 
  5. When the veggies are cooked to your liking, turn the heat down to medium/low, add the tofu, sesame seeds and the stir-fry sauce. Toss, toss, toss again until the sauce has reduced and it is glossy and sticking to the vegetables. Serve over your rice of choice with cilantro and lime wedges.

Serves 6 people

Prep ahead – Make the stir-fry sauce a day ahead, prep your veggies up to a few days in advance, and press your tofu a day ahead. You can even cook the tofu and stir-fry the veggies a few hours ahead, but wait to combine the veggies, tofu and sauce until the last minute. This ensures the tofu is as crisp as possible. I still enjoy this stir-fry as leftovers but it is best enjoyed right away.

(Want another tofu recipe? Try this one for Crispy Tofu Spring Rolls!)

STICKY RICE WITH CRISPY TOFU AND BRUSSELS HASH

Posted on by admin – By

My love affair with tofu started somewhere around age 10. My favorite Thai restaurant (which was the only Thai restaurant within a several town radius of my own) served the most perfect fried tofu triangles with peanut sauce. The tofu was crunchy on the outside and moist and simply flavored within. Smothered in rich peanut sauce and quickly dipped in the restaurant’s bright nuoc cham, each bite was an adventure for my inexperienced palate.

This flawless little appetizer is the reason I’ve stuck with making endless rounds of mediocre tofu for decades, ever in the search of some cooking method that would replicate that early food memory. I’ve shallow-fried, deep-fried and roasted infinite sheet trays. I’ve drained and pressed tofu overnight in the refrigerator, frozen and thawed it, and worked with every texture from silken to extra firm. I’ve quick-marinated and left tofu to sit with seasoning for several days before cooking. While much of these efforts came with some reward, the texture has always been…meh.

It wasn’t until I came upon a recipe from Cookies and Kate that I discovered the merits of cornstarch.

Continue reading “STICKY RICE WITH CRISPY TOFU AND BRUSSELS HASH” →

Crispy Tofu Spring Rolls for Summer!

Posted on by admin – By

We love getting feedback from all our clients but, I must admit, I get most excited when it comes from our clients’ kids. I love hearing when their kids devoured our roasted salmon or actually finished their plate of veggies. So this month’s video is for the kiddos. There’s one thing that I’m pretty sure most parents can agree on and that’s how frustrating it can be to feed kids. I know from my own experience as a nanny that kids are very strong-willed when it comes to food and if they don’t want to eat it, they will find any excuse not to (feeding their peas to the dog when you’re not looking, chucking their apple slices in a bush on the way to school, etc.).

 

A big part of our job as private chefs involves accommodating these tenacious mini-clients. At WWE, we encourage our clients to use their imaginations and play with their food, especially the littles. We’re always trying to come up with kid-friendly, hands-on snacks that we can add to the rotation. These spring rolls are among our most successful. They also make for a great afterschool activity. Although it’s technically no longer spring, I’m pretty confident that these spring rolls are actually the perfect summer snack. The tangy peanut sauce is a classic and pairs perfectly with the delicate flavors wrapped up in these rolls. Keep these rice papers on hand and fill them with whatever’s lingering in your fridge or whatever veggies your kids are into.

This video also serves double duty by demonstrating another one of our client faves, kids and grownups alike: crispy pan-fried tofu.

For crispy pan-fried tofu:

  • I like to use extra firm tofu because it’s less likely to fall apart when you’re slicing or break mid-flip in the pan.
  • Drain as much of the tofu liquid as possible by placing the tofu between absorbent paper towels or a clean dishcloth and weigh it downs with anything you have laying around that’s kind of heavy (an extra cast-iron or heavy plate work great). The dryer the tofu, the better the crunch.
  • Slice the tofu as thinly as possible in one fluid stroke. Avoid sawing at the tofu as it tends to crumble if you fuss with it too much.
  • Next heat a skillet on high with a nice layer of high-heat oil (grape seed oil, canola oil, safflower oil…) to avoid too much smoke.
  • Season both sides of each slice of tofu generously with salt and pepper.
  • Working in batches, sear the tofu until a golden crust forms. They should be fairly stiff without much wiggle. This can be difficult to judge. For me, if it feels slimy and slippery when I’m trying to flip it, it’s not ready.
  • Once they’re crispy, drain the excess oil by placing the tofu on a plate covered in paper towel.
  • Serve in a salad, grain bowl, sesame noodle dish or spring roll. You name it.

Spring roll fillings:

  • Tofu
  • Avocado
  • Julienned or grated carrots
  • Julienned or thinly sliced cucumber
  • Julienned or thinly sliced radish
  • Thinly sliced mango
  • Toasted sesame seeds
  • These are just what we had on hand but you can use anything as long as it’s small or thin enough to fit neatly inside.

Spring roll wrappers:

  • You can find these at most health foods stores or Asian food markets.
  • Fill a shallow bowl (we used a pie dish) with cold water.
  • Dip each sheet separately into the water and let sit for 1-2 minutes until the wrapper is pliable.
  • Lay the wrapper flat on a cutting board or clean work surface and allow your little ones to assemble it themselves.
  • Roll it up like you would a burrito. The wrappers are pretty tough so don’t be shy!
  • Or forgot the rice paper wrapper all together and use a leafy green instead.

For dipping sauce:

  • We love a peanut sauce with 1/2 cup peanut butter lots of fresh grated ginger, garlic, a pinch of chili flakes, 1 tsp. toasted sesame oil, 2 Tbs. rice wine vinegar and 1/2 cup water.
  • You may also like a sweet and sour sauce or sweet mustard sauce.
  • Or just plain soy sauce!

xoxo,

Charlotte

 

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