Stir-Fried Tofu or Beef with Onions
Submitted by dlbmom
Stir-fried tofu or beef with onions tosses pressed tofu (or sliced flank steak) in a sherry-soy-ginger marinade, then wok-cooks with caramelized onions and garlic.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
15 minCOOK
35 minREADY
40 minA Wok-Quick Dinner With Old-School Stir-Fry Smarts
This stir-fried tofu or beef with onions is the kind of recipe that adapts to whatever’s in the fridge. The same marinade and technique work for extra-firm tofu, sliced flank steak, or a combination of both. Sherry, soy sauce, sugar, ginger, and garlic build the flavor base, while a quick cornstarch slurry at the end thickens everything into a glossy coating.
The pressing step for tofu is the move that separates good stir-fries from sad ones. The recipe describes the classic technique of sandwiching tofu between paper towels and weighting it with something heavy, like a phone book, until the excess water squeezes out. Wet tofu steams in the wok instead of browning; pressed tofu develops a real golden crust.
Cooking the onions first and removing them from the wok is another smart move. They stay crisp-tender instead of going soft and stringy, and the aromatic oil left in the pan flavors the tofu when it goes in next. Recombining everything at the end gives you onions with bite alongside seared tofu or beef.
Chef Tips
- Get the wok very hot before each batch goes in. Cold wok means steamed, not stir-fried, ingredients.
- Slice the onion thin and even so it cooks at the same rate. Mixed thicknesses give some pieces raw and others mushy.
- Cut beef across the grain in thin slices for maximum tenderness. Lengthwise slices give chewy bites no matter how perfectly you sear.
- Mix the cornstarch with cold stock first, then stir before adding to the wok. Cornstarch settles fast and clumps if dumped in dry.
- Don’t overcook after adding the slurry. 30 seconds is enough for it to thicken; longer and the sauce turns gluey.
Variations
- Add a small head of blanched bok choy for extra greens (the recipe author’s favorite addition).
- Stir in 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce or hoisin for richer, sweeter depth.
- Use chicken or shrimp in place of beef or tofu, adjusting cook times accordingly.
Ingredients
Directions
Mix the cornstarch with the soup stock and have ready until needed.
Get tofu ready according to your favorite methods.
I usually slice it lengthwise in half- inch blocks, put papertowels over and under it, and press with telephone book to get out excess water.
Mix together the sherry, salt, pepper, soy sauce, sugar and 1½ teaspoons of the oil in a shallow dish.
Add the tofu or steak shreds and leave to marinate for 15 minutes.
Heat 1½ tablespoons of the remaining oil in a wok or pan over high heat.
Add the ginger and onion and stir-fry for 1½ minutes (about).
Remove onions, place in a colander, and let drain.
You can use the oil left in pan if it is enough.
Heat wok again.
When it is very hot, add the tofu or steak and garlic.
Stir-fry the tofu or steak and garlic in the oil for until brown.
Mix in the onion and ginger and stir-fry for a minute.
Stir in the cornstarch mixture and cook, stirring for about 30 seconds or until thickened.
NOTE: This dish originally used 1 pound of flank steak which was cut against the grain into thin slices and then marinated same as the tofu.
Sometimes I make it with steak or tofu or a mixture of both.
In addition, I occasionally add a small bok choy which is first blanched and then cooled.
If other vegetables are added, increase the cornstarch mixture to three times what is listed.
Recipe can be doubled and comes out fine.
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