This Tofu Stir Fry with mushrooms and Chinese peas has got me doing the happy dance, and I thank The Kitchn from the bottom of my heart for the tip on using cornstarch to give the tofu the perfect crispy outer coating.  Delicious!

Tofu Stir Fry reminds me of the dish I used to order at Patti’s Chinese Kitchen in the Ala Moana mall on Oahu.

Probably my favorite menu item there.

It has been way too long (nearly 10 years!) since I’ve been to Hawaii, and my cousin tells me Patti’s Chinese Kitchen closed “years ago.”

I’m always the last to know.  Patti — how could you leave me???!

I was born in Hawaii, but our family moved when I was still a baby.

I was 11 years old the first time I returned — the summer of 1973. What a magical vacation that was — all THREE MONTHS of it!

My parents.  So clever!

Yes.  As I look back after raising two daughters, I can fully appreciate what my parents accomplished.

Those little love birds managed to ship all FOUR of their children (ages 9 to 17) off to live with our aunt, uncle and cousins for the summer. Way to go, Mom and Dad!  Hope you enjoyed your second honeymoon!

It was an action-packed summer — hiking, swimming, exploring, watching American Graffiti more than once, and the Jackson Five concert!

We loved spending time at the beach with our cousins and getting to know our grandparents and all the other relatives we have there.

I’m convinced my aunt and uncle are saints.  A total of eight kids in the house for the summer.  Can you imagine?!

So many memories of that glorious summer — the smell of suntan oil, the sound of the ocean, marathon evening ping pong competitions on our aunt and uncle’s lanai, the accompanying itch from mosquito bites incurred during that time on the lanai and the tofu stir fry at Patti’s Chinese Kitchen.

I hope you like this dish as much as I do!

Enjoy!

Tofu Stir Fry With Mushrooms

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Serves	2-4
Prep time	30 minutes
Cook time	20 minutes
Total time	50 minutes
Meal type	Main Dish
Slightly adapted from recipe on	The Kitchn

Tofu Stir Fry is a tasty, healthy and satisfying dish. Serve alone as a delicious vegan meal or as a side dish with teriyaki chicken for an UNvegan meal!

Ingredients

Sauce

• 3/4 Cup vegetable broth (can use chicken broth if vegan isn't a concern)
• 3 Tablespoons soy sauce (I prefer Kikkoman)
• 1 Tablespoon rice wine vinegar
• 2 Teaspoons sugar
• 2 Tablespoons corn starch

Tofu

• 5 Tablespoons oil, divided (I use peanut oil, but any vegetable oil is fine)
• 3/4 Cup corn starch
• 1- 14 ounce extra firm tofu (***pressed to release excess liquid and cut into 1-inch cubes)

Stir Fry

• 1 Cup sliced mushrooms of your choice
• 1 Big handful Chinese peas (with ends trimmed)
• 3 Cloves garlic (minced)
• 1 Tablespoon ginger (minced)

Note

Tofu Stir Fry is a delicious and healthy dish you can serve as a side dish or main course

As a side dish, it would go well with Teriyaki Chicken or Wench Fried Rice. You can swap out the mushrooms and Chinese peas for zucchini or whatever vegetable you prefer.  Use vegetable broth to make a vegan version of Tofu Stir Fry.  The dusting of cornstarch does wonders for giving the tofu a nice, crispy coating.

***It's also important to press the tofu. Here's a good step-by-step from Good Housekeeping.

Basically, place tofu on paper towel lined cookie sheet. Cover tofu with paper towels and then with a clean dishcloth. Place a heavy object on top (e.g., another cookie sheet with a few cans on top) and allow to sit for about 30 minutes before cutting into 1-inch cubes.

I adapted this recipe from The Kitchn. It's delicious. I hope you like it!

Enjoy! - The Recipe Wench

Directions

Prep Sauce

Step 1

In a small bowl, mix together broth, soy, vinegar, sugar and 2 tablespoons cornstarch. Set aside.

Prep Tofu

Step 2

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, add cornstarch to large-bottomed dish. Add about half the tofu into the dish and toss until well-dusted with the cornstarch. Fry tofu in skillet until nicely browned on all sides. Remove browned tofu to plate and repeat process with remaining tofu.

Assemble Stir Fry

Step 3

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in pan over medium-high heat and add mushrooms. Stir Fry until moisture has evaporated and mushrooms are fragrant. Add Chinese peas. Stir fry for a minute or two (until peas are crisp-tender). Add garlic and ginger. Stir fry for another minute. Reduce heat to medium. Give sauce a quick stir and add to skillet, stirring until sauce has thickened (you may need to increase heat). Once sauce is thickened, add fried tofu, stir and serve!