Some days, when the sun is hot and your energy level starts to run low, there is nothing that can beat the tang of soy and ginger complemented by the kick of a red chili paste. Couple that with a minimalist's effort for prep and clean up, and end up with a perfect restorative.
Prep Time: 10 min | Cook Time: 10 min, Rice 20 min | Serves: 4
Stir-Fry
- 2 heads Baby Bok Choy – fresh, cut lengthwise into ½ in ribbons
- 1 15oz block Extra Firm Tofu – cubed
- 1 cup Baby Bella Mushrooms – sliced
- 2 Carrots – cut into thirds then sliced
- 1 bunch Green Onion – sliced
- 3 cloves Garlic – fresh, crushed and minced
- 5 Shishito Peppers – halved
- 2 tsp Sesame Seeds
- 1 tsp Ginger Root – fresh, slivered
- 6 leaves Thai Basil – fresh, cut into ¼ in ribbons
- 6 leaves Pineapple Sage – fresh, cut into ¼ in ribbons
- 2 tbsp Toasted Sesame Oil
- 1 tsp Maesri Chili Paste with Basil Leaves
- 1 tsp Liquid Aminos
- 2 cups Short Grain Brown Rice
Get that rice going!
Start rice in cooker. Heat toasted sesame oil in large pan. Over high flame, add peppers, garlic, ginger, sesame seeds, green onions and stir until colors turn translucent.
Add chili paste and sauté for two minutes. Cut carrots, mushrooms, basil, sage, and tofu, add to pan. Stir occasionally for five minutes or until tofu starts to crisp, make sure herbs don't start burning. Add liquid aminos and baby bok choy. Stir for one minute and remove from heat.
Do not cover. Serve over rice.
Extras and Tips
Full grown bok choy can work here as well, in our experience store bought varieties are a bit old which causes them to become tough and stringy when cooked. If you're not confident in the quality of the plant, opting for baby bok choy is a safe bet as they tend to be more crisp, sweet, and tender.
There is a time and a place for all firmness levels of tofu but whenever you are preparing a dish that you want to have a crisp protein in, extra firm tofu is a must. Be sure to experiment with different brands, some will be better than others. We have found a local brand to be the winner for extra firm while we still prefer a well known brand for silken.
Liquid aminos is a healthy alternative to soy sauce that we use across the board.
A nice cup of matcha green tea is a great way to round off this meal.
