The Boy, as I type this, is heading home from the airport. He was gone overnight on a business trip – which meant that tonight I got to fix dinner all for myself. Normally, this can be a challenge, and when he goes out of town I often find myself living off of leftovers, soup, and grilled cheese sandwiches. However, when he went to Japan last fall, I made a stronger effort to get creative in the kitchen when he goes out of town, and tonight, my dish was a winner – one in progress, but still very delicious.
When we went to Niagara-on-the-Lake last month, we stopped in a small shop that sold all sorts of spices, sauces, dips, and jams, and while there I stumbled upon possibly the best form of ginger I have ever eaten.
The ingredients: ginger and vinegar. It’s hot in the way that ginger is hot, and I thought it would make a delicious addition to a tofu stir-fry for dinner, so that’s exactly what I made.
Tofu, veggies, ginger and soy sauces, and just a touch of brown sugar served over rice. It was delicious. A little milder than what I expected, but still fantastic. I looked online to see if the SoHot sauces are available in the States, and they appear to only be available in Canada, so next time I make it I may experiment a bit with fresh ginger. This made a LOT of stir-fry – I have leftovers for at least one more meal, if not two. It’s still a work in progress, but this is the recipe.
Serves 2-3
Prep time: 30 mins
Cook time: 30 mins
Ingredients:
1 block extra firm tofu, pressed and cut into 3/4 inch cubes
2 cups assorted fresh or frozen veggies. I used carrots, broccoli, and mushrooms for this one
2 tablespoons grated ginger, or 2 tablespoons ginger sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon oil
To Make:
1. Heat a wok or skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil and when it’s warm, carefully add the tofu. Allow the tofu to cook, stirring frequently, until it is golden brown, approximately 8-10 mins. Add the vegetables, tossing them with the tofu until they are heated through and crisp-tender, which will take 3-5 minutes
2. While the tofu is cooking, combine the ginger, soy sauce, and brown sugar in a small dish. Once the vegetables and tofu have finished cooking, add the sauce and toss to coat. Add the water to thin the sauce slightly if you need additional. Stir frequently until the sauce is mostly thickened and evaporated, two minutes. Remove from heat and serve immediately over rice.
The sauce will be mild, sweet with hints of ginger and soy and is superb. For stronger flavor, you can add more soy or more ginger. I like eating mine with a little soy sauce sprinkled on top.
Enjoy!
