Vegetable and Tofu Stir Fry

If tofu is prepared right, it's delicious. If not, it can taste like rubber. Tofu is curdled soy milk that has been pressed in a process similar to making cheese. You'll find tofu in natural food stores and many supermarkets these days. Several brands are available with varying texture from extra firm to soft (tofu's firmness depends on the amount of liquid that's been pressed out of it). In large cities with Asian markets you can often find tofu sold in bulk, usually stored in open barrels.

Ingredients:

1 pound firm tofu
8 cups sliced vegetables (we suggest yellow onions, carrots, peppers, mushrooms, celery, broccoli, asparagus, mung-bean sprouts, bamboo shoots)
1 tablespoon expeller-pressed canola oil
2 cups cooked rice

Sauce:
1/4 cup dry sherry
1/4 cup natural soy sauce (low sodium if you prefer)
2 cloves garlic, pressed
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 tablespoon finely chopped ginger root
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon arrowroot powder

Instructions:

1. Slice the tofu in 1/2 inch slices. Press between layered paper towels or clean kitchen towels to dry well. Cut slices into 1-inch cubes. Arrange on a plate with prepared vegetables, separated by variety. 

2. Combine sauce ingredients except for arrowroot powder in a small bowl and stir until sugar is dissolved. Mix arrowroot powder with just enough cold water to dissolve in a custard cup or teacup (you'll use less than 2 tsp water). Add to sauce, stir well and set aside. 

3. Preheat a wok or large skillet. Add the canola oil and vegetables (add the sturdier vegetables first, adding the more tender ones like mung bean sprouts later) and cook over medium-high heat until just crisp tender, stirring constantly. 

4. Add the tofu and stir very carefully until the tofu is heated. Stir sauce and pour around edge of wok. Stir vegetables around in sauce as it thickens. Remove from heat as soon as sauce is thickened and serve over rice.

Food as Medicine: Despite sensational claims on the Internet and elsewhere that soy foods are not healthy, the weight of available evidence indicates that  soy is safe and nutritious when eaten in relatively unrefined forms such as tofu.

Looking to consume more whole soy foods, but not in the mood for Asian cuisine? Opt for Mexican instead, and try these Tofu Fajitas!

Comments

[karen]

Any suggestion of what to substitute for the sherry?

[Pat J.]

Sherry is a substitute to Chinese cooking wine which is also made from cherries. You can just omit that and the dish will taste just fine.

Make sure to let your skillet, wok, etc., smoky hot before you toss in the ingredients and cook everything really fast.

[moderator44@drweil.com]

Karen: you can try these
Substitute - General
Apple cider; non-alcoholic vanilla extract; coffee; or coffee syrup.
Substitute - Measured

2 tablespoons sherry, substitute the following: 1 to 2 teaspoons vanilla extract or 2 tablespoons orange or pineapple juice.

To substitute sherry in a marinade: for 1/2 cup sherry use 1/4 cup vinegar + 1 tablespoon sugar + 1/4 water OR1 tablespoon vinegar, plus chicken stock or water to make 1/2 cup.