I was so excited to bring you this Teriyaki Tofu and Vegetable Stir Fry. You see, I am admittedly not a big fan of tofu, but this recipe turned me around. Years ago when I first became vegetarian, I went out to dinner with a friend. But I was still in that phase where I was unsure what I should eat. I asked the chef and he suggested I substitute tofu in the otherwise vegetarian Teriyaki dish. I was skeptical, but he convinced me that the way he prepared it, he could convert me. And he most definitely did!
Preparing the tofu:
The first step in preparing this dish is to drain and press the tofu. Nothing high tech here, I used two plates, two paper towels and a large can of tomatoes for extra weight.
The chef at the abovementioned restaurant told me he grated the extra firm tofu, then marinated it. I had never seen it prepared this way and even doing some research for this recipe, I could only find one other instance where someone had done it this way. It shreds beautifully, but it’s not the shredding that makes this dish…it’s the preparation.
Let’s make the Teriyaki marinade/sauce:
I simply whisked together water, brown sugar, soy sauce (or tamari), apple cider vinegar (white vinegar works too), sesame oil, minced garlic, ginger and corn starch.
I poured 1/3 of the marinade over the grated tofu and after about 15 minutes, I strained away any excess. We’ll use the other reserved marinade to create the sauce with our veggies.
After straining, using a hot pan with no oil, I cook the tofu. That brown sugar will help caramelize it and give you those crispy edges. The secret is not to move it around too often, giving it a chance to get this golden brown color. The texture is AMAZING! Remove from the pan and set aside.
Let’s assemble our Teriyaki Tofu and Vegetable Stir Fry!
I am using a short cut for the veggies and that is frozen vegetables. No need to defrost! Add a small amount of oil to that same hot pan and cook for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add your reserved marinade and cook until thickened.
Add back the cooked tofu and give a good stir.
Doesn’t that look delicious! YUM ๐
Did you make this recipe for my Teriyaki Tofu and Vegetable Stir Fry? If so, leave me a comment below and let me know what you think. And if you enjoyed the recipe, consider PINNING it for later ๐
Teriyaki Tofu and Vegetable Stir Fry
Ingredients
FOR THE TERIYAKI MARINADE:
- 1/2 c Water
- 1/3 c Brown Sugar packed
- 1/4 c Soy Sauce
- 2 tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1 tbsp Sesame Oil
- 1 tsp Garlic minced
- 1 tsp Ginger grated
- 1 tbsp Corn Starch
FOR THE STIR FRY:
- 1 block Extra Firm tofu drained & pressed
- 1 bag Asian-style Frozen Mixed Vegetables
- 1 tsp Oil
- Prepared White Rice
- White Sesame Seeds for garnish, if desired
Instructions
- Begin by draining a block of tofu and then removing excess moisture by pressing it. To do this simply place the tofu on a paper towel lined plate. Top with another paper towel and another plate. Weigh down with something like a large can of tomatoes.
- Meanwhile, prepare the marinade/sauce by whisking all ingredients together.
- Grate the tofu on a simple hand grater and using 1/3 of the marinade, pour over the grated tofu. Set aside for 15 minutes.
- Drain the tofu liquid and add to a hot, dry pan. Stir occasionally, but not too much so that the caramelization process can occur. Remove to a bowl.
- In the same pan, add 1 tsp of oil and the frozen bag of vegetables. Cook for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the marinade and cook until thickened.
- Add back the tofu and give a good stir.
- Serve with white rice and a sprinkling of white sesame seeds, if desired.
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