What is stir-frying?
Stir-Frying is a Chinese technique of cooking food quickly in a wok with hot oil. In China, it began appearing in the Ming dynasty (1368-1644) but has only gained worldwide popularity in the last century, spreading west and well beyond Chinese communities. Today we see stir-frying everywhere – at home, as kits in supermarkets, restaurants, and take-out.
Why is stir-frying so good?
Your vegetables retain their nutrients! We know that as you cook vegetables, their nutritional value decreases. In a stir fry, you don’t need to cook the veggies very long. Less cooking + optimal flavour = healthy win! You can clean out your fridge! In this stir-fry recipe, I use green beans, broccoli, red and yellow bell peppers, and zucchini, but stir-fries are a great way to use leftover vegetables in the fridge. It’s healthy, gluten-free, and vegan! Stir-fries are primarily vegetables with herbs, spices, and a little soy sauce. There isn’t much oil or flour used, keeping the calories low for a considerable volume of food. It’s quick & easy! Prep = 15 minutes, cooking = 15 minutes. The trickiest part is draining the tofu (which isn’t hard at all!).
Ingredients Required
The main ingredients for making tofu stir fry are firm tofu, red and yellow peppers, broccoli, zucchini, green beans, onion, and celery. For the sauce, you will need garlic ginger paste, rice vinegar, light soy sauce, vegetable stock, brown sugar, chilli powder, Chinese Five Spice Mix, salt, and pepper. Equipment: You will need a towel to squeeze out the extra moisture from the tofu, a mixing bowl to season the tofu, a Wok or non-stick pan to cook in, a heat-safe spatula to flip the tofu, and stir the ingredients, a chopping board & knife.
How to prepare the Tofu
(follow step-by-step instructions as shown in the image below) First of all, press the tofu firmly with a towel. You can use a cloth or paper towel (image 1). Then, cut the tofu into cubes. In a bowl, season the tofu cubes with salt, pepper, and soy sauce. Mix well, making sure the tofu is evenly coated. Heat 2 of the 4 tablespoon of sesame oil in a non-stick pan, and cook the tofu until it’s crispy on all sides, using the heatproof spatula to flip (image 4).
Tofu Stir Fry Recipe Variations
Can I use other vegetables? Yes! Other vegetables that work well in tofu stir fry are:
yellow summer squash carrots sugar snap peas bean sprouts water chestnuts bok choy baby corn Brussels sprouts.
Feel free to suggest more options in the comments below!
Meal Prep Tips
This Vegan Tofu Stir fry is great to make in bulk and store for lunch or dinner for the week! Here are a few ideas for making this work for you: Double the recipe! This recipe serves 4 people; doubling it would make 8 servings. I would freeze half and use it a few weeks later for an easy weeknight meal. Take this dish to work for lunch! After you’ve finished cooking, separate the Vegan Tofu Stir Fry (plus a side of rice or noodles if desired) into 4 microwave-safe containers and, when cool, put their lids on and pop them in the fridge. When you’re going to work, if the container is in a warm environment for more than 2 hours, pack an ice pack with the container to keep it fresh. To reheat, simply warm tofu stir fry in a microwave until it’s piping hot.
How do I store this stir fry?
Fridge: After the tofu stir fry has completely cooled, store it in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Freezing: After completely cooling the stir fry, store it in a freezer bag or container for up to 3 months. The veggies may become relatively soft after freezing, but the flavour will still be amazing!
Serving Suggestion
The best way to enjoy this tofu stir fry is with aromatic jasmine rice. You can serve it with any other variety of rice as well. For a vegan dinner, I serve it with fried chili oil noodles, or pineapple fried rice. Store the leftover stir fry in the refrigerator. It remains fresh and suitable for consumption for 2 – 3 days. Reheat in a stir-frying pan or microwave.
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