Sesame-Crusted Tofu over Vegetables

Preparation

1. To prepare tofu & marinade: Fold a clean kitchen towel and place it on a cutting board or large plate. Set tofu on the towel. Put another folded clean towel over the tofu and place a flat, heavy weight (such as a skillet) on top; drain for 30 minutes.
2. Combine garlic, ginger, soy sauce, mirin (or sherry), chile-garlic sauce and sesame oil in a bowl. Cut the drained tofu into 1-inch cubes. Add to the marinade and toss to coat. Cover and let marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
3. To prepare sauce: Whisk water (or broth), soy sauce, mirin (or sherry), chile-garlic sauce, cornstarch and sesame oil in a small bowl. Set aside.
4. To stir-fry tofu & vegetables: Toss the tofu with sesame seeds in a large bowl. Heat 1 teaspoons peanut oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the tofu and cook, turning often, until golden and crusty, 8 to 10 minutes. Cover and keep warm.
5. Heat the remaining 1 teaspoons peanut oil in a wok or large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and ginger; cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add bok choy, bell pepper, scallions and snow peas; cook, stirring, until the vegetables are crisp-tender, 5 to 7 minutes.
6. Make a well in the vegetables; whisk the reserved sauce and add to the center of the pan. Bring the sauce to a boil, stirring, until thickened. Toss the vegetables with the sauce. Transfer to a large shallow serving bowl and top with the tofu.

Tips & Notes

• Notes: Mirin is a sweet, low-alcohol rice wine essential in Japanese cooking. Look for it in your supermarket with other Asian ingredients.
• A blend of ground chiles, garlic and vinegar, chile-garlic sauce is commonly used to add heat and flavor to Asian soups, sauces and stir-fries. It can be found in the Asian section of large supermarkets (sometimes labeled as chili- garlic sauce or paste) and keeps up to 1 year in the refrigerator.

Nutrition