Tofu Stir-Fry (Vegetarian)

What is there not to love about stir-fry? It is fast, delicious, and you can make do with the ingredients you already have in your fridge and pantry.

This is the first time I made vegetarian stir-fry, with tofu replacing meat as the protein. I must say, it was even better than I had expected - I didn't really notice the lack of chicken or beef in this dish. Hubby didn't mind as well - he was too busy gobbling up the food to even talk!

What you need:

• 1 block firm tofu (14 oz), drained
• cornstarch
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 3/4 cup vegetable broth
• 1 1/2 tbsp. soy sauce
• 2 tbsp. apple juice
• 2 tsp. sesame oil
• 8 ounces broccoli, cut into florets
• 8 ounces mushrooms, washed and sliced
• 1 can (15 oz) drained baby corn, cut in half
• around 1/8 cup vegetable oil for frying
  

What to do:

Dry tofu on paper towels and cut in 1-inch cubes. Place in a bowl and put around 3 tbsp. cornstarch (or enough to coat tofu with it). Toss to distribute cornstarch and set aside.

Combine 2 tbsps cornstarch and salt in a small bowl. Stir in broth, soy sauce, apple juice, and sesame oil until smooth; set aside.

Heat wok over medium-high heat. Drizzle vegetable oil into wok. Ease tofu into hot oil; fry for about 10 minutes (2 1/2 minutes on each side) or until golden brown on all sides. Reduce heat to medium. Place tofu on cooling rack to let the oil drip, then transfer to a large bowl.

Add broccoli, mushrooms and baby corn to the wok; stir-fry until mushrooms are tender. Cover and cook 4 minutes or until broccoli is crisp-tender. Stir broth mixture until smooth and add to wok. Cook, uncovered, until sauce boils and thickens. Return tofu to wok; stir gently to mix. Serve with hot rice.

Tips, tricks, and tweaks:

1. Wash mushrooms thoroughly. Very important.
2. When frying tofu, do so in batches if needed as the tofu slices might stick to each other in a crowded pan.
3. Be careful when easing the tofu in the hot oil - it splatters! A splatter screen would be very useful.
4. Cook time is always different for every stove. Keep an eye on your veggies so they wouldn't be limp or overcooked.
5. Use dry sherry if you don't feel like using apple juice.