Ingredients

The following ingredients have 2 Servings
  • 8-12 ounces tofu, patted dry and cubed (or sub shrimp or chicken cubes)
  • 2 tablespoons peanut oil or high heat oil
  • generous pinch salt and pepper
  • ½ cup thinly sliced onion
  • 4 ounces sliced mushrooms (optional)
  • 2 cups shredded cabbage (or shredded brussels, or shredded broccoli)
  • 1 cup shredded carrots or matchstick
  • ½ red bell pepper, thinly sliced
  • 1 cup asparagus, snap peas, or green beans
  • optional: 6-8 small dried red Chinese or Arbol chilies
  • ¼ cup Szechuan Sauce and more to taste! (please multiply if doubling or tripling the recipe)
  • garnish: scallions, sesame seeds, chili flakes

Instruction

  • Heat oil in a skillet. Season oil generously with salt and pepper. With tofu, I generally use ½ teaspoon kosher salt per ½ pound of tofu. Swirl the seasoned oil around until spread out uniformly.  Add tofu and sear on at least two sides, until crispy and golden. Be patient here. Set aside.
  • To the same pan, add a little more oil if needed,  onion, and mushrooms and sauté over medium-high heat – stirring constantly, until tender, about 3 minutes. Add the remaining veggies, add the dried red chilies if you like -and lower heat to medium, and sauté,  tossing & stirring for 3-5 minutes until just tender or al dente. Tender, but vibrant and still slightly crisp!
  • Add the Szechuan Sauce, starting with ¼ cup and adding more to taste. If you are cooking more than one batch, you’ll need to multiply the sauce accordingly. Cook the sauce 2 minutes, letting it thicken a bit. Toss in the crispy tofu ( or shrimp or chicken) right at the end, just to warm it up.
  • Divide among bowls. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and scallions. Add chili flakes for more heat.
  • Serve this just as it is, or over rice, or noodles… and remember, do not eat the dried chilis!