Vegetable and Tofu Stir Fry

From Dr. Weil's Optimum Health Plan: Get your free health assessment now!

4 Servings

If tofu is prepared right, it's delicious. If not, it can taste like rubber. Tofu is curdled soy milk that's 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 oriental markets you can often find tofu sold in bulk, usually stored in open barrels. Tofu sold this way has been found to occasionally be infected with E. coli bacteria, so be cautious. You might also try the delicious varieties of baked, pressed tofu you'll find in refrigerator cases at natural food stores. These are already flavored and ready to eat without additional cooking. The idea behind stir-frying is to produce a mixture in which all the items are crunchy-tender and retain their colors and individual character.

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 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 corn starch

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 cornstarch in a small bowl and stir until sugar is dissolved. Mix cornstarch 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 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.

Nutritional Information:

Per serving:
351 calories
11 g total fat (1 g sat)
0 mg cholesterol
49 g carbohydrate
15 g protein
6 g fiber
750 mg sodium