A lot of the recipes we’ve published lately have been a bit on the complicated side. It’s not our intention to write complex recipes, but the truth is, making truly great food often takes lots of time, preparation, the right techniques, and the right ingredients. I remember when I was working at our food truck in Austin, TX… One of our neighbors was a Greek truck. The guy was actually from Greece – recently – and he took his food pretty seriously, so I think it’s safe to say they were as authentic as an American-Greek food truck could be. The owner used to always say to me, “If a customer complains about the wait, I tell them, ‘You want good food? It takes long time.'”
I have to agree with him; however, one type of cuisine comes to mind that is meant to be cooked quickly: stir-fry. Unlike so many other styles of cooking, if you want a good stir-fry, you should do it pretty much as quickly as possible. The whole idea is that the vegetables and other ingredients come out crisp and firm, just barely tender, as if they’re still practically fresh. This is one of the reasons stir-frys are often touted as being healthier than other methods of cooking.
Another key component to the healthiness of stir-frys is that the oil is very hot – 400º F or hotter. This ensures the oil cooks the food without getting soaked up into the food, thus reducing the amount of fat that ends up on the plate. That is why it’s important to only stir-fry with oils that have a high smoke point, such as vegetable oil, refined sesame oil, or refined peanut oil. All of those oils can be heated up to or over 425º F without burning.
So in the spirit of sharing a recipe with you that is both fast and easy – because it’s supposed to be – we proudly present you this broccoli stir-fry. It is simple and basic but absolutely delicious. It’s also quite healthy and nutritious. Let us know what you think in the comments, and as always, we hope you enjoy!
Crisp and tender broccoli stir-fried with golden brown tofu, fresh veggies, and a mild garlic-chili sauce. Perfect for when you want something delicious and satisfying in 15 minutes or less.
Ingredients
- 2 cups broccoli florets
- 1/3 pkg extra firm tofu, pressed and cut into small cubes or rectangles
- 1/4 cup chopped red onions
- 1/4 cup sliced bell peppers
- 1 clove finely chopped garlic
- 1 tsp finely chopped ginger
- 2 tsp chili sauce or sriracha
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Pure sesame oil (optional)
Instructions
- Add vegetable oil to a frying pan or wok and heat over medium high heat.
- Add tofu and fry until golden brown.
- Add garlic, ginger, onions, and peppers, and fry for another 1 - 2 minutes.
- Add broccoli and cook for another 2 - 3 min, until the broccoli is just barely tender.
- Stir in chili sauce and soy sauce. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Drizzle with sesame oil. Serve over rice or noodles (optional).
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