Sesame-Crusted Tofu over Vegetables

http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/sesame_crusted_tofu.html

From EatingWell:  May/June 2011, EatingWell Fast & Flavorful Meatless Meals (2011) Marinated, sesame-crusted tofu tops a delightful medley of stir-fried vegetables that includes bok choy, bell pepper, scallions and snow peas. The recipe packs enough vegetables that all you need to add is a little short-grain brown rice to make it a meal.
4 servings, about 1 1/2 cups each | Active Time: 45 minutes | Total Time: 1 3/4 hours

Ingredients

Tofu & Marinade

• 1 14-ounce package extra-firm water-packed tofu, drained
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 tablespoon grated or minced fresh ginger
• 1 teaspoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon mirin (see Notes) or dry sherry
• 1 teaspoon chile-garlic sauce (see Notes)
• 1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

Sauce

• 1/2 cup water or vegetable broth
• 3 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons mirin or sherry
• 2 teaspoons chile-garlic sauce
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

Vegetables

• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
• 1 tablespoon peanut oil, divided
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
• 1 1/2 pounds bok choy, trimmed and very coarsely chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 bunch scallions, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 1/2 cups snow peas, trimmed

Preparation

1. To prepare tofu & marinade: Fold a clean kitchen towel and place it on a cutting board or large plate. Set tofu on the towel. Put another folded clean towel over the tofu and place a flat, heavy weight (such as a skillet) on top; drain for 30 minutes.
2. Combine garlic, ginger, soy sauce, mirin (or sherry), chile-garlic sauce and sesame oil in a bowl. Cut the drained tofu into 1-inch cubes. Add to the marinade and toss to coat. Cover and let marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
3. To prepare sauce: Whisk water (or broth), soy sauce, mirin (or sherry), chile-garlic sauce, cornstarch and sesame oil in a small bowl. Set aside.
4. To stir-fry tofu & vegetables: Toss the tofu with sesame seeds in a large bowl. Heat 1 teaspoons peanut oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the tofu and cook, turning often, until golden and crusty, 8 to 10 minutes. Cover and keep warm.
5. Heat the remaining 1 teaspoons peanut oil in a wok or large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and ginger; cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add bok choy, bell pepper, scallions and snow peas; cook, stirring, until the vegetables are crisp-tender, 5 to 7 minutes.
6. Make a well in the vegetables; whisk the reserved sauce and add to the center of the pan. Bring the sauce to a boil, stirring, until thickened. Toss the vegetables with the sauce. Transfer to a large shallow serving bowl and top with the tofu.

Nutrition

Per serving : 232 Calories; 12 g Fat; 2 g Sat; 4 g Mono; 0 mg Cholesterol; 19 g Carbohydrates; 14 g Protein; 5 g Fiber; 483 mg Sodium; 1006 mg Potassium
1 Carbohydrate Serving
Exchanges: 2 vegetable, 1 medium-fat meat, 1 1/2 fat

Tips & Notes

• Notes: Mirin is a sweet, low-alcohol rice wine essential in Japanese cooking. Look for it in your supermarket with other Asian ingredients.
• A blend of ground chiles, garlic and vinegar, chile-garlic sauce is commonly used to add heat and flavor to Asian soups, sauces and stir-fries. It can be found in the Asian section of large supermarkets (sometimes labeled as chili- garlic sauce or paste) and keeps up to 1 year in the refrigerator.

Pineapple Tofu Stir-Fry

At last - a sweet-and-sour dish with a fresh, not cloying, taste. Add a pinch of crushed red pepper, a splash of chile-garlic sauce or a dash of hot sauce to give it a little heat.
2 servings, 1 1/2 cups each

1 8-ounce can pineapple chunks or tidbits, 3 tablespoons juice reserved
5 teaspoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon ketchup
2 teaspoons brown sugar
7 ounces extra-firm, water-packed tofu, drained, rinsed and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (See Tip for Two)
1 teaspoon cornstarch
3 teaspoons canola oil, divided
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 teaspoons minced ginger
1 large bell pepper, cut into 1/2-by-2-inch strips

1.Whisk the reserved 3 tablespoons pineapple juice, vinegar, soy sauce, ketchup and sugar in a small bowl until smooth. Place tofu in a medium bowl; toss with 2 tablespoons of the sauce. Let marinate for 5 minutes. Add cornstarch to the remaining sauce and whisk until smooth.


2.Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Transfer the tofu to the skillet using a slotted spoon. Whisk any remaining marinade into the bowl of sauce. Cook the tofu, stirring every 1 to 2 minutes, until golden brown, 7 to 9 minutes total. Transfer the tofu to a plate.

3.Add the remaining 1 teaspoon oil to the skillet and heat over medium heat. Add garlic and ginger and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add bell pepper and cook, stirring often, until just tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Pour in the sauce and cook, stirring, until thickened, about 30 seconds. Add the tofu and pineapple chunks (or tidbits) and cook, stirring gently, until heated through, about 2 minutes more.

Tips & Notes

Make Ahead Tip: The tofu can marinate (Step 1) for up to 30 minutes.

Tips for Two

Tofu

Storage: Rinse leftover tofu, place in a storage container and cover with water; it keeps up to 4 days in the refrigerator if the water is changed every day or 2; freeze tofu for up to 5 months. (Freezing tofu yields a pleasingly chewy result that some people prefer. Don't be surprised if the frozen tofu turns a light shade of caramel.)

Uses: Crumble and use instead of the meat in your favorite tuna or chicken salad recipe; dice and add to a vegetable stir-fry; add leftover silken tofu to smoothies.

Nutrition Per serving: 263 calories; 12 g fat ( 1 g sat , 5 g mono ); 0 mg cholesterol; 34 g carbohydrates; 10 g protein; 4 g fiber; 368 mg sodium; 549 mg potassium.

Szechuan Tofu & Green Bean Stir-Fry

From EatingWell:  September/October 2010 This spicy vegetarian stir-fry is a great way to use green beans when they’re bountiful and inexpensive at the supermarket. You can also try it with other vegetables, such as broccoli or peppers, just make sure to cut them into small pieces so that they cook quickly. Coating the tofu in cornstarch before you cook it gives it a light crust.

4 servings, 1 1/2 cups each

• 1/2 cup water, divided
• 1/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 2 teaspoons Chinkiang vinegar (see Note) or balsamic vinegar
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1/4-1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper, or to taste
• 1 teaspoon plus 2 tablespoons cornstarch, divided
• 1 14-ounce package extra-firm tofu, drained
• 2 tablespoons canola oil, divided
• 4 cups green beans, trimmed and cut in half
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
  
  
  1. Whisk 1/4 cup water, soy sauce, tomato paste, vinegar, sugar, crushed red pepper to taste and 1 teaspoon cornstarch in a small bowl. Set aside. Cut tofu into 1/2- to 3/4-inch cubes and pat dry. Toss the tofu in a bowl with the remaining 2 tablespoons cornstarch to coat.
  2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the tofu and spread out across the surface of the pan. Let cook undisturbed for 2 minutes. Gently turn and stir. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned and crispy, 2 to 3 minutes more. Transfer to a plate.
  3. Reduce heat to medium. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the pan. Add green beans, garlic and ginger; cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Add the remaining 1/4 cup water, cover and cook until the beans are crisp-tender, 2 to 4 minutes. Stir the reserved soy sauce mixture and pour it over the green beans. Cook, stirring, until thickened, about 1 minute. Add the tofu and cook, stirring, until heated through, about 1 minute more.

Tips & Notes

• Ingredient note: Chinkiang is a dark, slightly sweet vinegar. It is available in many Asian specialty markets. If unavailable, balsamic vinegar is an acceptable substitute.

Nutrition

Per serving: 218 calories; 11 g fat ( 1 g sat , 6 g mono ); 0 mg cholesterol; 20 g carbohydrates; 2 g added sugars; 12 g protein; 5 g fiber; 672 mg sodium; 364 mg potassium.

4 servings, 1 1/2 cups each