Szechuan Tofu Stir-Fry

I will be honest, stir fry is a stable for me.  It is quick, easy and can be really nutritious depending on what you put into it.  Last night my friend Allison came over and I decided to whip up this stir fry because I only had about 20 minutes to prepare something after getting home from the gym.  Like I said, quick and easy. 

Szechuan Tofu Stir Fry
Ingredients:

1 red pepper, cut into 1/4 inch pieces
1 green pepper, cut into 1/4 inch pieces
1 red onion (medium sized), sliced to 1/4 in thick slices then cut in half through the middle
1 zucchini, I cut these into 3 section then down the middle and the a small dice
3/4 cup of button mushrooms, sliced thin
1 can of water chestnuts (I buy them already sliced), drained
3/4 cup of Moyashi bean sprouts (you can buy these in the produce section near the salad)
1-2 gloves of garlic, minced
2 tablespoons of EVOO
1 tablespoon of  Earth Balance
1/2 block of tofu (about 6 ounces), drained and cut into 1/4 inch pieces
1 tablespoon of Safflower oil
2-3 tablespoons of red pepper (depending on how hot you want it)
1/2 tablespoon of black pepper
Tamari Sauce to taste (I use a good amount, but I don't use salt in this recipe)
Toasted sesame seeds
1 cup of dry Basmati rice

In a medium sized pot, bring 1 3/4 cups of water and 1 teaspoon of EVOO and a dash of salt to a boil.  Stir in the Basmati rice, cover and reduce heat to low.  You won't need to check this again for about 15 minutes.

Put 2 tablespoons of EVOO into a skillet and add the zucchini, peppers and onions.  Saute for about 3-4 minutes.  Then add the mushrooms, water chestnuts and garlic.  Add the Earth Balance.  Saute for another 3-5 minutes until everything starts to brown a little.  In the meantime, in a small skillet, add the Safflower oil and tofu.  Cover and saute on medium-high heat.

Next add the red pepper and black pepper to the veggies and make sure they are all coated well.  Then begin adding the tamari sauce.  I start by adding about 1-2 tablespoons.  Turn the heat down to medium and cover, stirring often.  Move back to the tofu, and make sure to keep it moving.  You want to make sure you brown it evenly on all sides.  Keep it covered when you are not moving it.  This helps it cook faster, but also prevents your stove from being covered in oil.

Uncover your veggies and taste.  I usually end up adding a little more tamari here.  Then add the toasted sesame seeds (I like a lot, but totally your call) and the Moyashi bean sprouts.  Turn to low and leave uncovered.  You want the sprouts to remain firm and not get mushy, so you want to throw them in at the last minute, just before your meal is done.  This allows them to pick up the flavor, but not get slimy.  Stir everything really well and simmer for about 2 more minutes.

Uncover your tofu, it should be lightly browned.  Keep the heat up and add some sesame seeds and some tamari.  Toss vigorously and make sure you are coating all of the tofu.  Keep on the heat for about one more minute.

Uncover your rice and give it a good stir.  It should be pretty fluffy.  Put some rice on each plate.  I then combine the tofu and veggies and serve them over the rice.  Nice and easy!

Like I said, you can do many veggie variations.  I often add broccoli, baby corn, carrots, cauliflower, you can pretty much add any of the veggies you have in the house.  I also make stir fry with all kinds of sauces from teriyaki to black bean.  This dish is totally versatile and you can be so creative with it!