Tofu and Broccoli by Maggie Zhu


Tofu and Broccoli by Maggie Zhu
Quick, easy, and always a pleaser... Check out the recipe on Maggies new book Chinese Homestyle, or start with her website Omnivore's Cookbook for a slight variation and wonderful discussion and presentation.
Total Time
15 min.
Servings
2-3
Ingredients
1 block firm tofu, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
Marinade
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon dark soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 teaspoons rice vinegar
Sauce
- 1/4 c. water
- 3 tbsp oyster sauce
- 2 tbsp Shaoxing wine (on amazon-see Maggie's discussion in her book) or dry sherry
- 1/2 tbsp dark (or regular) soy sauce
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
Stir-fry
- 1 small head broccoli, cut into bite siz florets
- 2 1/2 tbsp peanut oil, divided
- 1 tbsp minced ginger
- 4 cloves minced garlic
- Optional: mushrooms, red bell peppers, onions; chopped peanuts or cashews, sesame seeds
Instructions
- To prepare the tofu: Drain water. Cut into 1/2" cubes. Place in a sealable container. Add marinade for at least 1/2 hour prior to cooking.
- To make the sauce: In a medium bowl, combine ¼ cup (80 ml) of water with the oyster sauce, wine, dark soy sauce, sugar, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and cornstarch. Stir until the cornstarch is dissolved.
- To make the stir-fry: In a large nonstick skillet, heat ½ cup (80 ml) of water over medium-high heat until boiling. Add the broccoli and cover with the lid. Steam until the broccoli is cooked to the tenderness you prefer, 2 minutes for a chewy texture or up to 3 minutes for a tender texture. Strain the broccoli and transfer it to a large plate. Wipe the pan with a few layers of paper towel held in a pair of tongs to get rid of any excess water.
- Add 2 tablespoons of the oil to the pan the broccoli was cooked in and heat over medium heat. While heating, add about 3 tbsp of cornstarch to the sealed tofu and combine until coated. Add the tofu cubes without overlapping. Let cook undisturbed until the bottoms turn golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip over and cook the other sides until golden brown. Gently stir a few times with a spatula, then move the tofu cubes to one side of the pan.
- Add the remaining 1/2 tablespoon oil, the ginger, and the garlic to the other side of the pan. Stir a few times to release their fragrance, then stir everything together.
- Stir the sauce again to make sure the cornstarch is dissolved, then pour it into the pan. Cook and stir until the sauce thickens. Add the broccoli back into the pan and turn off the heat. Stir to coat everything with the sauce.
- Transfer the contents of the pan to a large serving plate and serve hot with rice. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and chopped peanuts or cashews.