A Sumo Wrestler Ate My Stir Fry

Many, many years ago when my boys were young (seven and four), a sumo wrestling competition was being broadcast on television. For some reason, we were completely enthralled. I decided, for fun, that for each match each of my boys would pick a wrestler as “theirs”. The first match one would pick first. The next, the other would pick.

The first match occurred and it was quickly won by the wrestler my youngest had picked. The second match, however, was a problem. The sumo my eldest picked won a hard-fought match. Instantly my youngest burst into tears. When I tried to tell him that everything was OK and he gets to pick the next match, his tears turned into uncontrollable screaming. My wife came rushing down to the basement to find my youngest in melt-down, while his brother and I looked on with uncomprehending eyes.

I don’t think we’ve watched sumo since.

Szechuan Tofu & Green Bean Stir-Fry

OK, so this is Chinese and not Japanese, but it gets you to the right continent.

In my desire to have 1-2 vegetarian meals a week, this was a find.

Tofu gets a bad wrap. It has little taste on its own so it takes on the taste of the surrounding food very well. The “slimy” texture can really be changed with frying.

The deep green of the beans and the color of the peppers makes this a great looking dish.

All together.

No crying or screaming over this dish – unless some sumo wrestler eats your share!

Szechuan Tofu & Green Bean Stir-Fry

Prep Time: 30 min | Cook Time: 30 min

Ingredients:

1/2 cup water, divided
1/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 teaspoons Chinkiang vinegar (see Note) or balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons sugar
1/4-1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper, or to taste
1 teaspoon plus 2 tablespoons cornstarch, divided
1 14-ounce package extra-firm tofu, drained
2 tablespoons canola oil, divided
4 cups green beans, trimmed and cut in half
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger

Directions:

1. Whisk 1/4 cup water, soy sauce, tomato paste, vinegar, sugar, crushed red pepper to taste and 1 teaspoon cornstarch in a small bowl. Set aside. Cut tofu into 1/2- to 3/4-inch cubes and pat dry. Toss the tofu in a bowl with the remaining 2 tablespoons cornstarch to coat.

2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the tofu and spread out across the surface of the pan. Let cook undisturbed for 2 minutes. Gently turn and stir. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned and crispy, 2 to 3 minutes more. Transfer to a plate.

3. Reduce heat to medium. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the pan. Add green beans, garlic and ginger; cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Add the remaining 1/4 cup water, cover and cook until the beans are crisp-tender, 2 to 4 minutes. Stir the reserved soy sauce mixture and pour it over the green beans. Cook, stirring, until thickened, about 1 minute. Add the tofu and cook, stirring, until heated through, about 1 minute more.

Nutritional Info: Per serving: 218 calories; 11 g fat (1 g sat, 6 g mono); 0 mg cholesterol; 20 g carbohydrates; 2 g added sugars; 12 g protein; 5 g fiber; 672 mg sodium; 364 mg potassium.

Carbohydrate Servings: 1

Exchanges: 2 vegetable, 1 plant protein, 1 1/2 fat

Source: http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/szechuan_tofu_stir_fry.html