Two words. Stir. Fry. When I hear those words I first think of Stir Fridays from the TV show Archer which is a hilarious, albeit rather vulgar comedy cartoon. After controlling my giggles from those thoughts, my imagination then moves to picturing big bowls of rice and veggies doused in rich Asian flavors of sesame and soy. Classic!
Well, this past Monday I decided to up my game with a little marinated tofu action. Some of you are probably scoffing at me because tofu is characteristically placed in about 95% (don’t quote me on that percentage; I made it up) of Asian stir fries….however, never once have I tossed in some of this malleable protein. So this week I did; and you can all thank me for doing so because it’s THAT good y’all.
THAT. GOOD.
Now, I am not sure how much you read my blog, but if you are a follower you are aware that Mondays are not really my thing. By “not really my thing” I mean I live that Strug Life on the first day of every week. This past Monday it was thanks to a Carolina Gamecock victory over the Georgia Bulldogs. **Queue the applause** Which was probably one of my better reasons for struggling on a Monday actually…. When I got home I knew I needed an easy peasy get in my belly and quell my hangry self kind of meal. And yes, “hangry” is a real word (hungry + angry)….look it up…
Before work on Monday I managed to slice a block of tofu and toss it in my marinade before I stumbled out the door. That way when I got home all I had to do was throw everything in its prospective skillet and sip on a glass of wine until it was ready….and that was really convenient.
Here’s how to get on my level
- 1 block (14oz.) extra firm tofu
- ¼ C soy sauce
- 2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
- 1 tbs white miso paste
- 1 bag frozen Asian-style vegetables
- 1 tbs Sesame oil
- 1 C quinoa
- 1 C vegetable broth
- 1 tbs coconut oil
- Stir your soy sauce, white miso paste, and minced garlic in a sealable container.
- Drain tofu, slice it however you want, and dry it with paper towels to get most of the moisture off. I sliced my tofu in medium-thick rectangles, but cubes would be just as tasty.
- Put your tofu in the marinade and toss. I usually just put the lid on my container and turn it upside down. Be gentle though, or your tofu may fall apart
- Place in fridge for at least one hour. Up to 9 hours
- When tofu is ready, pull out of fridge and set aside
- Place a large skillet on the stove and add your quinoa and vegetable broth. You can use water if you don’t have any broth, but it is so much more flavorful this way. Bring to a boil. As soon as it comes to a boil immediately reduce to simmer and cover for about 15 minutes. Stirring occasionally. Quinoa should absorb all liquid and become almost fluffy. Not hard.
- While quinoa is cooking, add bag of frozen Asian veggies to a medium sauce pan. You could always substitute local fresh veggies. There will obviously be a little more prep time on your hands though.
- Pour your sesame oil on top. Add a little salt and pepper. VERY LITTLE SALT. This tofu is pretty salty and less salt on the veggies balances it all out nicely.
- Take another medium-large sized skillet and melt your coconut oil on it, medium heat. Once it is hot add your marinated tofu. Let the tofu cook for about 5 minutes and turn over. They should have browned significantly on one side, without being burnt. Let flipped tofu sit for another 5 minutes on the skillet and then remove to place onto a paper towel lined plate.
- By this time the quinoa and veggies should be good and tender. Load a bowl up with quinoa, top with veggies, and then tofu. Add some sesame seeds on top.
- Fuel your food desires.
- Thank me in the comment section below. Do it.
Gillian {Coastal Bride} says
So glad you joined our little blog society! I’m a vegan and this recipe looks amazing! I can’t wait to try it!
Jenn says
So glad to join! I hope you enjoy!
Sue says
Looks tasty! Is there a particular type of tofu you recommend (firm, extra…) and/ or quantity you recommend? Yup, I’m one of Them – those that need hand holding work cooking 😉
Jenn says
Hi there! I recommend a 14 oz. (one standard size package) extra firm tofu for this recipe. Great question! I am actually going to edit the recipe to reflect that! Hope you enjoy! 🙂