A few weeks ago, while scouring the web for menu ideas, I came across this recipe, from the Vegetarian Times for bok-choy and shiitake stir-fry. Have you ever bought bok choy in a regular ol’ grocery store? Well, yeah. Bok choy is like ridiculously expensive–we’re talkin’ $7 for one little head.
(News flash! I don’t pay $7 for one little head of bok choy. Won’t. Do. It.)
So, as is my customary routine, I changed the recipe. (I don’t think I can remember the last time I made a recipe verbatim as written…nope. Can’t remember.)
Until my garden is grown and luscious and beautiful one day, I probably won’t be buying much (if any) bok choy, sadly. My next best bet was to use regular ol’ cabbage.
This might have been one of the best recipe decisions I’ve ever made.
Cabbage can be just <sigh> SO dreamy. I’m in love.
And speaking of love…would you just take a look at that beautiful piece of tofu? It needs to be in my mouth right now.
And then, because I can never leave any recipe alone, I had to add stuff–carrots, onions, and green beans. Can we just stay here forever?
And before you rush off to make yourself some stir-fry, have a taste of some food for your thoughts:
“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily-angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.” 1 Corinthians 13: 4-7 (New International Version)
Tofu and Shiitake Stir-Fry
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons sunflower oil canola or coconut oils would work just as well
- 14 ounces extra-firm tofu drained and chopped into bite-sized pieces
- 3 1/2 cups finely chopped cabbage
- 10 shiitake mushrooms I used dried mushrooms, rehydrated according to package instructions
- 1/2 cup carrots julienned (about 1 large carrot)
- 1/4 cup onion thinly sliced
- 1 cup green beans I used frozen.
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce or more, to taste
- 2 tablespoons water use the water from your rehydrated mushrooms for added flavor
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon sriracha
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger or fresh minced
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon cane sugar
- salt to taste
Instructions
- In a large wok or skillet, heat sunflower oil on medium-high just long enough for your tofu to be chopped. Add tofu to wok, salt, and fry, turning every 30-60 seconds, just until tofu is golden brown on all sides.
- When tofu is fried to your liking, remove it from the wok, and set aside.
- Add remaining vegetables (cabbage, shiitake mushrooms, carrots, onion, and green beans) to wok on medium-high heat, using remaining oil from tofu and a splash or two of water to cook vegetables until just softened.
- While vegetables are cooking, mix soy sauce, water, cornstarch, sriracha, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, and sugar in a small bowl.
- When vegetables are cooked/softened to your preference, add your liquid/cornstarch mixture and tofu to the wok, and toss together.
- Taste your vegetables, and add more soy sauce to your preference.
- Serve hot over steamed rice or quinoa. Dinner is served!
Notes
Nutrition
http://fittingintovegan.com
http://www.marystestkitchen.com
http://mysavoryspoon.blogspot.com
Yum. I love tofu and veggies and I love them both in a stir fry! I never really follow a recipe either, it is just a general-use type of thing.
Wow! $7 for a head of bok coy really IS too much! If there is an Asian market in your town, I would check there instead of buying from a regular grocery store. I find regular grocery stores often have very high prices for “ethnic” vegetables. I just took home 3 pounds of bok choy from a local Asian market for $3.
You are SO right, Mary. I need to check out my Asian market. The problem is that it is about 30 minutes away and not in the best part of town. Hopefully hubby can go with me sometime in the next week or two, and I can stock up on all that crazy good Asian food. I love stocking up on rice noodles when I’m down there too. :)
What a perfect combination. Love what you did to this recipe. Beautiful pics.
http://www.veganmiam.com
Bok choy is a lovely vegetable but I prefer the baby ones! I love sauteed bok choy in a really lovely vinaigrette or toasted sesame oil – I recently made baby bok choy and shiitake mushrooms in gochujang vinaigrette few weeks ago on my blog. What a tasty stir-fry – I love using sunflower oil, it’s one of my main neutral cooking oils to have around!
Can I use Sesame oil instead of sunflower oil ?
Have you tried baking the tofu instead? Maybe not as good but I definitely like to try without oil where possible.