Tofu Tutorial and Recipe: Tofu Stir-fry with Peanut Sauce Recipe

   I experimented with tofu A LOT when I first started buying it. I've tried every cooking and preparation method possible- freezing the tofu to give it better texture, stir-frying, baking, using it as a ricotta substitute, and pureeing it for dressings, sauces, and soups. I hadn't stir-fried it in a while because I really love baking my tofu. However, I was short on time and really wanted to try the sauce. Guess what? I forgot how great stir-fried tofu tastes.

I started my normal tofu prep routine...

TOFU HOW-TO:

1. Drain the tofu and Cut into 8 even slabs.
2. Lay two paper towels down on a large plate and place the tofu on top. Top with two more paper          towels. Place another heavy plate on top. I usually wait at LEAST 10-15 minutes before moving on. Removing excess moisture from the tofu is KEY.

Note: You can also use a regular kitchen towel instead of paper towels.

The only time I don't prep my tofu this way is if I'm using a silken tofu to make a sauce, dressing, etc. My favorite tofu is Nasoya Lite Firm Tofu. It's about half the calories of a regular block of tofu and it still has great firmness for cooking. And, at 200 calories for the ENTIRE block, I'm eating the whole thing :) .

 
        This is one recipe I've been loving lately. It's modified recipe by Emily:

Tofu with Peanut Sauce

Ingredients:

1 Block Tofu (drained, pressed, and cut into 1 inch cubes)
2 T PB2
1 T rice vinegar
1/2 T sesame oil
1 T Bragg's Liquid Aminos (or soy sauce)
1 1/2 T water

Directions:

1. Heat a nonstick pan over medium-high heat and either spray with non-stick spray or use a little sesame oil. Add the tofu in a single layer and cook until its brown on all sides. Be PATIENT. It tastes so much better when its browned all around.

2. To prepare the sauce, add all ingredients (except the tofu or course) into a bowl and whisk thoroughly. Add the sauce to the cooked tofu and shut off the heat. STIR! The sauce will stick quickly so don't leave it sitting in the pan. Mix it up then transfer it to a plate. DONE and YUM.

The original recipe called for double the amount of sauce ingredients. I don't like anything too saucy so thats why I cut it in half. I still get TONS of flavor from the sauce and every piece of tofu gets coated perfectly.