Between food allergies, food intolerances, food preferences, and dietary restrictions, whether doctor- or self-imposed, it can be hard to sit down together for a meal. Generally I've been pretty lucky--no one in my immediate family has a food allergy, and in my extended family, only my mother-in-law has a gluten intolerance, but it's so mild she got bored of nursing it after a while. This free pass on food allergies gives me a little more patience with food preferences. If someone hates a certain dish and everyone else likes it, I just wait till I know that person won't be there to serve it.
So last night the two most carnivorous members of the family were going to be out, which meant it was time for tofu. Really, only my seventeen-year-old likes tofu. I agreed to a tofu meal because: (1) someone had given me a free package of tofu made on Vashon Island which was going to expire in a few days; and, (2) the 17YO agreed to cook dinner.
Although we didn't have exactly the ingredients called for, our dinner turned out pretty tasty (for tofu)!
Stir-Fried Broccoli and Tofu (adapted from Cooking Light)
2 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp hoisin sauce
2.5 tsp cornstarch
2 tsp rice vinegar
2 tsp sesame oil
2 tsp vegetable oil
1 lb extra-firm tofu, drained and cut in 1/2" cubes
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups small broccoli florets and/or asparagus pieces
3/4 c water
1.5 Tbsp minced garlic
Combine soy sauce through sesame oil and set aside. Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add the tofu and sprinkle with salt. Cook 8 minutes or until browned, tossing frequently. Remove from pan. Add vegetables, water and garlic to pan. Cover and cook 4 minutes or until crisp-tender, stirring occasionally. Uncover and add soy sauce mixture and tofu, stirring to coat. Cook 2 minutes until sauce thickens. Serve over rice.
Now, of course, we have leftover tofu, but at least it's cooked and in flavored sauce. Leftover tofu works great thrown in with some noodles or fried rice, or even as a sandwich filling. Or, if you happen to stir-fry more vegetables, you can just toss the cooked tofu in at the end to pump up the protein and filling-ness factor. It'll never be my preference, but it's just fine, occasionally.
As a p.s., Island Springs, maker of the tofu we used, has some recipes on its website that make tofu look as luscious as I imagine it's possible for pressed soybean curds to look. Which is actually fairly luscious. Take a look at the pics running on the home page!
