Thankfully, I have finally figured out how to make stir-fry this year, through a helpful combination of watching Alan make it and researching recipe variations. It turns out, my main barrier to stir-fry was that I very much prefer to follow recipes, but stir-fry is more of a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants "What do I have in the fridge" type of cooking experience. What has finally pushed me over the edge into more confident stir-fry territory is trial and error combined with the impetus to figure out what to do with all of the delicious CSA box veggies that Alan and I receive every two weeks.
The one thing I haven't figured out yet is how to fry tofu. Any advice from more experienced folks out there? I can't get it crispy! I suspect part of the issue is that my pans all heat rather unevenly, but surely there's some trick I'm missing.
What are your favorite things to stir-fry together? I'd love some recipes to try! For example, here's the stir-fry I made tonight, inspired by my CSA box. I really liked the leeks--they're so sweet, and yet give it that onion-y flavor.
CSA Stir-Fry
Ingredients
1/2 block extra firm tofu, in 1/4-inch slices
4 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 leek, chopped
5 small carrots, chopped
1 broccoli head, chopped
2 baby bok choy, chopped (separate stems and leaves)
2 tsp. minced garlic
Ground ginger, to taste
Chili powder, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
2 tbsp. soy sauce
Instructions
1. Slice tofu into 1/4-inch slices and fry in 2 tbsp. of vegetable oil, 3-5 minutes on each side on medium heat. Remove from pan. Or, seriously, talk to someone else about how to do this more successfully, and then let me know what you find out.
2. Add 2 more tbsp. of vegetable oil and toss in sliced leeks (1/4-inch should do) and garlic. Fry for a couple of minutes over medium-high heat.
3. Add carrots, broccoli, and bok choy stems, all chopped into bite-size pieces. Season with ginger and chili powder and fry for 3 minutes (until it begins to lose its crispiness).
4. Add bok choy leaves and 1/2 cup of water. Cook, stirring occasionally, until water has evaporated and veggies are tender.
5. Add the tofu back to the pan, along with soy sauce. Add black pepper to taste, and serve with rice.
In conclusion, look at my adorable squirrel rice scoop!
