Sunday, April 3, 2011

Wok Tofu Stir-Fry with Sesame Oil

Hi, Everyone! I'm following a couple of tips I found on the forum, and I'll know when I view my post, if they helped me with my blogger problem. Update: Okay, I've just previewed my post, not published, and it looks okay. I've done everything in html. Apparently, viewing it in Compose loses all my coding. The problem is, and I'll deal with it, that now I have to enter in coding in html. I can't find an html code for underlining, so my recipe titles will be bolded until further notice. Next, I'll see how it publishes - I guess we all will. :-)

So, I don't normally go into a lot of detail about what's going on with me personally - I usually just stick with the food. But, I've got a running theme here at home that I thought might be of interest to you. We've set up a small infirmary in the living room for all the human patients. Hmm, where to start? Well, let's start with the four-legged creatures. Now, the pups aren't sick, but they are currently getting all their vaccines and preventative shots. No big deal. Then, you add in Sparkly, the cranky kitty, who is currently wearing a cone almost full-time due to a chronic ear infection and needs meds throughout the day to knock it out. In January, SR was pushed into a door by a bully that's been harassing her for over a year and a half. She's had two casts and is now wearing a brace indefinitely on her arm until her problem is resolved. We don't know what exactly is going on with her: she could have a torn cartilage, a wrist fracture, nerve damage, or just a "general pain experience" as her physical therapist suggested (until we know more, that is). On Thursday, G tried to mow the lawn, but mowed his big toe instead. We were in the ER on Thursday and two hospitals on Friday. He's lost some of the top of his toe, the front of his toe, his toe is broken, and the bone is exposed. He likes to say he's not going to be a foot model anymore, and he also likes to say that he got a pedicure from his lawnmower. But, seriously, the guy's in major pain. He's on pain meds and antibiotics, and I've got him on an antibiotic-resistant probiotic, an herb for crushed toes, and an herb for nerve damage. And, finally, yesterday JK got the flu. My little guy has been expunging out of both ends, and can't even keep water down. That leaves GR and me and our kitty, Charlene, left. Help?

So, can you believe I still find time to cook? Well, this was actually made before the toe incident; I've been taking it easy on the meals the last few days. I'm sure everyone has done stir-frys (is that the plural?), so I'm probably not offering a bunch of new ideas. I just have a tip for doing it in the wok. Woks are not meant to contain bunches of food at one time. So, if you have a large family, or if you're making a particularly large stir-fry, do it in batches. In my directions below, I outline how I did mine, and I hope this helps you. I actually took pictures of my method for making tofu triangles, due to many requests, but they didn't turn out, so I will try again in a later post.





Wok Tofu Stir-Fry with Sesame Oil

Ingredients:

Sesame Oil
2 pkgs. extra-firm tofu, drained and cut in triangles
1/2 red bell pepper, sliced in half width-wise and cut into strips
1/4 head cauliflower, chopped
2 stalks of broccoli with florets - stalks sliced thinly, and florets chopped
1/4 head of Napa cabbage, sliced width-wise and sliced thinly
6 asparagus spears, sliced on the diagonal
1/4 cup of soy sauce
1 cup of water
2 Tbs. corn starch
1 Tbs. fresh ginger, minced

Directions:

Have all your tofu and veggies chopped and sliced before you begin. Heat about a tablespoon in the wok over medium-high heat. After about a minute, test the heat with a piece of tofu. When oil is ready and simmers the tofu, add a quarter of the tofu (or 1/2 a block) to the wok. Cook for about three minutes, stirring fairly frequently, until tofu has browned. Remove to a large bowl. Add a little bit more oil to the wok and another quarter of the tofu and do the same thing as with the first batch of tofu. Cook the rest of the tofu in this manner. *[Next, you are going to cook the veggies in order from firmest to softest, or longest-cooking to quickest-cooking. You will add a bit of oil to each addition, as there won't be any oil left in the wok. The exception will be if you have a non-stick wok. I do not, so my food will burn. I have tried cooking with water in a wok, but that definitely did not turn out well. If you find that there is oil left on your food, drain on paper towels.]* Add the cauliflower and cook for about three minutes, stirring frequently. Add the bell pepper and broccoli to the cauliflower and cook for another three minutes, again stirring frequently. Remove to bowl with the tofu. Add a bit of oil to the wok and add the cabbage and asparagus. Cook for three minutes and stir. Add all the tofu and veggies back into the wok. Whisk together the soy sauce, water, corn starch and ginger. Pour over the wok goodies and stir constantly for about one minute, until it's slightly thickened. Serve over brown rice. Mm-mmm. Feeds five hungry vegans.

15 comments:

  1. Oof, sounds rough over there. I can't believe the bully caused so much damage! How old are these kids??
    Best to G and his poor foot as well, and all the little animals!

    I hope the stir fry will feed five healthy vegans soon.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Oh my.... you're certainly going through a rough patch! It makes me so mad when I hear about bullies. That's horrible. :( I hope that the bully's parents are working with him or her to make sure the bullying stops.

    I cringed when reading about the toe accident. Youch! I hope everyone is better real soon. How stressful for all of you!

    The stir fry looks fantastic. I love how sesame oil tastes in dishes like this.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I am sorry abut the flu, hard to be the one standing! Keep strong and think of it as a good cleansing! Hope everybody gets better soon.

    The tofu stir fry is great!

    ciao
    Alessandra
    http://alessandra-veganblog.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete
  4. I realized my face was all scrunched up the entire time I was reading the first part of this post. Help? Yeah, I'll help. By putting a couple of casts on that bully.

    Prayers for you and your super crazy life. I would say "I've been there," but I think you've got me beat since I've never really had sick pets, let alone at the same time as my kids. Your poor half-toeless child. I'm glad he's keeping a sense of humor about it! Get better and back to normal soon, Blessed Family!!! Hugs!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Oh, what a pedicure! I'm glad he has his spirits up (wondering if the meds have anything to do with that?) - sounds like a rough time all in all for your family. I hope everyone is doing better soon!

    Also, thanks for the tip on doing the stir-fry in batches. I am guilty of overloading my wok, when I add a little of everything I want it is suddenly a huge portion!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Now this was an exciting post. The stir-fry is so pretty, not even the gory details of JK & G's health issues ruined it for me.

    It has been my experience that when you are in close proximity to one spewing from both ends, that soon, you too, will be doing the same. My condolences in advance to you and all involved.

    G's next cake will have to have a triple thick layer of frosting in the middle.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I'm so sorry to hear all you've been going through! Bullies are so scary and I just don't understand why people want to be like that. I wish you good recovery for all and a peaceful lull of everyday life!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Thanks, Everyone! Maud, the bully is 13, like SR. Jenny, G is actually my husband! :-) S.V., thanks for the warning, I'll let you know if I'm spewing as well - I know you'd want to know. Thanks to all for best wishes. G is loaded on meds that usually kick most of the pain out, but even so, he still feels waves of it. SR is going through physical therapy to help her arm. Sparkly will be fine one way or another. And, JK is feeling a bit better today. Yay!

    And, thanks for all nice the comments on the stir-fry. Jessica, you're welcome! I know food can become a huge pile when a little bit is added at a time. :-)

    ReplyDelete
  9. Sorry to hear about all the maladies, and I can't believe that bully! He or she is just rotten! I'm sending good vibes to all of you...hope everyone recovers quickly and that you GR and Charlene stay out of harm's way.

    The stir fry is gorgeous!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Whoa. You've really been hit by an overabundance of bad luck. I sure hope everyone is recovered by now and enjoying a little bit of calm. The bullying issue is really troubling, and I sure hope the school and parents are involved in putting an end to it. It's not something a child should have to face alone, especially with the horrible physical abuses that have occurred.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Oh my...you have had way too much excitement going on. I'm so sorry about SR. I hope she heals up soon! And a big OUCH for G! Bless his heart. I can't imagine the pain that he is in. Poor JK...I sure hope you and the others don't catch what he has!
    I hope all your 4 legged kids get better too!
    I'll be praying for your family! I hope everyone gets well soon!

    Your tofu stir fry looks so good!

    ReplyDelete
  12. so sad to hear the family and the 4 legged friends are all hospitalized in Mom's living room. But the good thing is that there's always Mom's great cooking to raise the dead...as we say hear at home...lots of prayers going your way and may God bless.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Rose, Andrea, Michelle, Millie: Thanks for all your best wishes. G continues to recover, very slowly. I caught the flu from JK, and now we are both on the mend. And, don't get me started on the bully. It appears she will get away with it in the criminal sense. Hopefully, not in the civil.

    Also, thanks for the comments on the stir-fry.

    Thank you, Debra.

    ReplyDelete
  14. OH MY GOSH!!!thats a lot going on at once, no wonder you feel like a hospital.its good that he has a sense of humor about it but i cant imagine the pain that his toe must be in. and having a serious injury from a kid in school, i would be really upset! as a parent and as a kid. oh that makes me so mad! i really hope that all gets resolved.

    ReplyDelete