Vegetable Stir-Fry with Crispy Tofu
By America's Test KitchenPublished on January 1, 2023
Time
1¼ hours
Yield
Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients
14 ounces extra-firm tofu, cut into 2-inch pieces10 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stemmed2 carrots, peeled1 red bell pepper, cored and quartered lengthwise4 heads baby bok choy (4 ounces each), trimmed3 tablespoons cornstarch 1 (2-inch) piece ginger, peeled and smashed2 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed3 tablespoons vegetable oil ¼ cup soy sauce ¼ cup dry sherry ¼ cup packed brown sugar 1 tablespoon sesame oil 1 tablespoon grated orange zest plus ¼ cup juice¼ cup dry-roasted peanuts, chopped2 scallions, sliced thin on bias
Before You Begin
This recipe requires a food processor with a capacity of 7 to 14 cups. You can use firm tofu instead of extra‐firm for this recipe. Serve with rice.
Instructions
- Spread tofu on paper towel–lined baking sheet, let drain for 20 minutes, then gently press dry with paper towels.
- Working in batches, use food processor fitted with slicing blade to process mushrooms, carrots, and pepper until thinly sliced; set aside. Process bok choy in now‐empty processor until thinly sliced; set aside.
- Fit again‐empty processor with chopping blade and pulse tofu until coarsely chopped, about 5 pulses, stopping to redistribute tofu as needed. Line baking sheet with clean paper towels, spread tofu on sheet, and press gently with more paper towels to dry. Transfer tofu to bowl and toss with 2 tablespoons cornstarch.
- Pulse ginger and garlic in again‐empty processor until finely ground, about 8 pulses. Transfer ginger mixture to small bowl and stir in 1 teaspoon vegetable oil. Whisk soy sauce, sherry, sugar, sesame oil, orange zest and juice, and remaining 1 tablespoon cornstarch together in separate bowl.
- Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in 12‐inch nonstick skillet over high heat until just smoking. Add tofu in single layer and cook, breaking up any clumps with wooden spoon, until well browned, 8 to 10 minutes; transfer to bowl.
- Heat remaining 2 teaspoons vegetable oil in now‐empty skillet over high heat until just smoking. Add mushrooms, carrots, and bell pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until spotty brown, about 4 minutes. Push vegetables to sides of skillet. Add ginger mixture and cook, mashing mixture into skillet, until fragrant, 15 to 30 seconds. Stir ginger mixture into vegetables.
- Add bok choy and cook until just wilted, about 1 minute. Whisk sauce to recombine, then add to skillet along with tofu. Cook, tossing constantly, until sauce is thickened, about 30 seconds. Off heat, sprinkle with peanuts and scallions. Serve.
Time
1¼ hoursYield
Serves 4 to 6Ingredients
14 ounces extra-firm tofu, cut into 2-inch pieces
10 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stemmed
2 carrots, peeled
1 red bell pepper, cored and quartered lengthwise
4 heads baby bok choy (4 ounces each), trimmed
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 (2-inch) piece ginger, peeled and smashed
2 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
¼ cup soy sauce
¼ cup dry sherry
¼ cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon grated orange zest plus ¼ cup juice
¼ cup dry-roasted peanuts, chopped
2 scallions, sliced thin on bias
Ingredients
14 ounces extra-firm tofu, cut into 2-inch pieces
10 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stemmed
2 carrots, peeled
1 red bell pepper, cored and quartered lengthwise
4 heads baby bok choy (4 ounces each), trimmed
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 (2-inch) piece ginger, peeled and smashed
2 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
¼ cup soy sauce
¼ cup dry sherry
¼ cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon grated orange zest plus ¼ cup juice
¼ cup dry-roasted peanuts, chopped
2 scallions, sliced thin on bias
Ingredients
14 ounces extra-firm tofu, cut into 2-inch pieces
10 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stemmed
2 carrots, peeled
1 red bell pepper, cored and quartered lengthwise
4 heads baby bok choy (4 ounces each), trimmed
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 (2-inch) piece ginger, peeled and smashed
2 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
¼ cup soy sauce
¼ cup dry sherry
¼ cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon grated orange zest plus ¼ cup juice
¼ cup dry-roasted peanuts, chopped
2 scallions, sliced thin on bias
Why This Recipe Works
Because it comes together very quickly over high heat, a great stir‐fry depends on precisely prepared ingredients, which can be a challenge even for experienced cooks. We used the food processor to streamline the process and ensure that every element of the dish cooked up evenly. We started by slicing bok choy, shiitake mushrooms, carrots, and a red bell pepper in the processor. The neat, even vegetable slices quickly cooked up to a perfect crisp‐tender texture. To make the dish a meal, we added tofu, which we pulsed in the processor before sautéeing to get crisp, golden‐brown crumbles—a pleasant departure from cubes. A mixture of soy sauce, sherry, orange juice, garlic, ginger, and sesame oil plus a little brown sugar and cornstarch made a punchy glaze. For a final pop of crunch and freshness, we finished the dish with peanuts and scallions.
Before You Begin
This recipe requires a food processor with a capacity of 7 to 14 cups. You can use firm tofu instead of extra‐firm for this recipe. Serve with rice.
Instructions
- Spread tofu on paper towel–lined baking sheet, let drain for 20 minutes, then gently press dry with paper towels.
- Working in batches, use food processor fitted with slicing blade to process mushrooms, carrots, and pepper until thinly sliced; set aside. Process bok choy in now‐empty processor until thinly sliced; set aside.
- Fit again‐empty processor with chopping blade and pulse tofu until coarsely chopped, about 5 pulses, stopping to redistribute tofu as needed. Line baking sheet with clean paper towels, spread tofu on sheet, and press gently with more paper towels to dry. Transfer tofu to bowl and toss with 2 tablespoons cornstarch.
- Pulse ginger and garlic in again‐empty processor until finely ground, about 8 pulses. Transfer ginger mixture to small bowl and stir in 1 teaspoon vegetable oil. Whisk soy sauce, sherry, sugar, sesame oil, orange zest and juice, and remaining 1 tablespoon cornstarch together in separate bowl.
- Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in 12‐inch nonstick skillet over high heat until just smoking. Add tofu in single layer and cook, breaking up any clumps with wooden spoon, until well browned, 8 to 10 minutes; transfer to bowl.
- Heat remaining 2 teaspoons vegetable oil in now‐empty skillet over high heat until just smoking. Add mushrooms, carrots, and bell pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until spotty brown, about 4 minutes. Push vegetables to sides of skillet. Add ginger mixture and cook, mashing mixture into skillet, until fragrant, 15 to 30 seconds. Stir ginger mixture into vegetables.
- Add bok choy and cook until just wilted, about 1 minute. Whisk sauce to recombine, then add to skillet along with tofu. Cook, tossing constantly, until sauce is thickened, about 30 seconds. Off heat, sprinkle with peanuts and scallions. Serve.
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