Skyler I eat meat and I LOVE tofu. When cooked well it has a great texture and soaks up the flavor of whatever dish you add it too. It’s inexpensive, low in calories, high in protein, and full of amino acids and other vitamins and minerals. But if you have an aversion to soy, I’d steer clear of tofu as it can be difficult for some to digest.
There are a lot of ways to cook tofu. Fried, steamed, blended, braised, grilled, the list goes on. But across the board, my BIGGEST recommendation is: PRESS THAT TOFU. I actually learned this tip years ago from my college roommate who was vegan. And trust me. It makes all the difference, especially when frying or adding to a stir-fry. And it doesn’t even take very long. You can do it overnight in the fridge or in just 30 minutes on the counter before dinner.
Line the top and bottom of the tofu with paper towel or cheese cloth, then press it between two plates. Place something semi-heavy and solid on top of the plate, such as a bowl of fruit or stack of plates, potatoes, onions etc. Just nothing too heavy because you don’t want to squish it so much that it cracks—just enough to squeeze out that excess moisture. Tofu is spongy and the more liquid you can remove, the better it will brown and soak up the flavors of your dish. Once pressed, it’s ready to be sliced and cooked!
I buy my tofu at a variety of Asian grocery stores here in Des Moines, IA. My favorite in my neighborhood is C Fresh market. Not only do they have a wonderful selection of interesting produce, meat, spices, and sauces but they are also much cheaper than traditional supermarkets. And when buying ingredients used in Chinese cooking or other Asian cuisines, these markets are often the only place to find them.
My husband lived in China for a couple years and has taught me some traditional Chinese dishes from the Hunan Providence where he lived. And one of our favorites is tofu and pork. In China, tofu isn’t an alternative to meat; instead it is served in dishes WITH meat. Here is a twist on our favorite recipe. I added green beans, mushrooms, and little fresh ginger. And if you want to keep it vegetarian omit the pork and it’s just as delicious.
Tofu Pork with Green Beans
Ingredients
- ¼ cup neutral oil, such as vegetable, soy, or grapeseed oil
- 8 to 10 oz tofu, pressed, cubed, and patted dry
- 8 oz pork tenderloin or ribeye, thinly sliced (OMIT the pork or try using chicken thighs or breasts)
- ½ sweet onion, thinly sliced
- 10 oz green beans, trimmed
- 4 oz mushrooms, sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 2 Tbsp. sesame oil
- 1 Tbsp. chili oil (optional)
- 1 Tbsp. grated fresh ginger (optional)
- 1 tsp. soy sauce (I prefer dark soy sauce)
- 1 tsp. Shaoxing wine or rice vinegar
- Sliced green onion or chopped cilantro, for garnish
Instructions
- Heat a large cast iron skillet or wok over high heat. Add oil to skillet. Heat until shimmering. Carefully add tofu to pan in a single layer. Turn heat to medium high and allow tofu to cook undisturbed for 5 to 7 minutes or until well-browned. Carefully flip it over and cook 5 minutes more. Remove tofu from pan and place on a paper towel-lined plate. Sprinkle with salt and set aside.
- Increase heat to high and add pork to the skillet. Cook about 3 minutes or until it begins to brown but isn't fully cooked. Transfer pork to another plate.
- Reduce heat to medium and add onion to hot skillet. Cook onion about 3 minutes or until translucent. Stir in green beans, mushrooms, garlic, sesame oil, and the chili oil and ginger (if using). Cook, covered, 8 to 10 minutes until green beans are crisp-tender.
- Add the cooked tofu and pork, and the soy sauce and Chinese wine or rice vinegar to skillet. Cover and cook 5 minutes more or until flavors meld, pork is cooked through, and beans are tender.
- Serve topped with sliced green onion or cilantro.
