Recipe for tofu and green bean stir-fry with spicy peanut sauce {vegetarian}

Here in Rhode Island, when snow is on the way, everyone runs to the store for milk and bread. My pantry always holds a full complement of Asian condiments, plus several types of rice to steam up in my little rice cooker, so I run to the store for fresh ingredients to mix and match in enough stir-fry dishes to see us through any storm. This recipe takes one of my basic stir-fry sauces and gives it a twist with the addition of peanut butter. The amount of Sriracha makes this moderately spicy, so adjust for your own heat tolerance. These days, you can find Sriracha in most grocery stores, but if you don't have it on hand, a few red pepper flakes will stand in nicely.

Tofu and green bean stir-fry with spicy peanut sauce

From the pantry, you'll need: reduced-sodium soy sauce, Sriracha, mirin, shao hsing wine, sugar, peanut butter, canola oil, cornstarch or arrowroot, long-grain white rice or brown rice.

Serves 3-4 as a main dish with steamed rice.

Ingredients

1/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
1-1/2 tsp Sriracha (or more or less, to taste)
1 Tbsp mirin
1 Tbsp shao hsing wine
1 tsp sugar (or sugar substitute)
1 heaping Tbsp smooth peanut butter
2 tsp canola or peanut oil
2 scallions, white and green parts thinly sliced
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1/4 lb green beans, trimmed, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 cup sliced mushrooms
8 oz extra-firm tofu, drained and diced
1 tsp cornstarch or arrowroot

Directions

In a large measuring cup, whisk together the soy sauce, Sriracha, mirin, shao hsing wine, sugar and peanut butter, until the mixture is smooth. Set aside.

Heat a wok over high heat. Pour in the oil. Then add the scallions, bell pepper, green beans and mushrooms. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1-1/2 to 2 minutes, until the beans have lost their raw taste. Add the tofu, and cook for 20 seconds, stirring constantly. Pour in the soy sauce mixture, and stir to combine with the vegetables.

In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch with 3 teaspoons of water, and pour into the wok. Stir a few times; the sauce in the wok should thicken almost instantly. Remove the wok from heat to keep the sauce from thickening too much.

Serve over steamed white or brown rice.

[Printer-friendly recipe.]

More recipes in The Perfect Pantry:
Stir-fried curried beef with tomatoes and peas
Spicy green beans with ginger and garlic
Asparagus, pepper and peanut soba
African-inspired squash and peanut soup
Peanut dipping sauce

Other recipes that use these pantry ingredients:
Flank steak stir-fry with asparagus and red pepper, from Simply Recipes
Spicy stir-fried radish greens, from Kalyn's Kitchen
Gluten-free peanut butter cookies with quinoa flakes, from Gluten-Free Goddess
Sriracha Bloody Mary cocktail, from White on Rice Couple
Apricot glazed Sriracha chicken wings, from Eat Boutique

Tofu and green bean stir-fry with spicy peanut sauce

From the pantry, you'll need: reduced-sodium soy sauce, Sriracha, mirin, shao hsing wine, sugar, peanut butter, canola oil, cornstarch or arrowroot, long-grain white rice or brown rice.

Serves 3-4 as a main dish with steamed rice.

Ingredients

1/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
1-1/2 tsp Sriracha (or more or less, to taste)
1 Tbsp mirin
1 Tbsp shao hsing wine
1 tsp sugar (or sugar substitute)
1 heaping Tbsp smooth peanut butter
2 tsp canola or peanut oil
2 scallions, white and green parts thinly sliced
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1/4 lb green beans, trimmed, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 cup sliced mushrooms
8 oz extra-firm tofu, drained and diced
1 tsp cornstarch or arrowroot

Directions

In a large measuring cup, whisk together the soy sauce, Sriracha, mirin, shao hsing wine, sugar and peanut butter, until the mixture is smooth. Set aside.

Heat a wok over high heat. Pour in the oil. Then add the scallions, bell pepper, green beans and mushrooms. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1-1/2 to 2 minutes, until the beans have lost their raw taste. Add the tofu, and cook for 20 seconds, stirring constantly. Pour in the soy sauce mixture, and stir to combine with the vegetables.

In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch with 3 teaspoons of water, and pour into the wok. Stir a few times; the sauce in the wok should thicken almost instantly. Remove the wok from heat to keep the sauce from thickening too much.

Serve over steamed white or brown rice.

[Printer-friendly recipe.]

More recipes in The Perfect Pantry:
Stir-fried curried beef with tomatoes and peas
Spicy green beans with ginger and garlic
Asparagus, pepper and peanut soba
African-inspired squash and peanut soup
Peanut dipping sauce

Other recipes that use these pantry ingredients:
Flank steak stir-fry with asparagus and red pepper, from Simply Recipes
Spicy stir-fried radish greens, from Kalyn's Kitchen
Gluten-free peanut butter cookies with quinoa flakes, from Gluten-Free Goddess
Sriracha Bloody Mary cocktail, from White on Rice Couple
Apricot glazed Sriracha chicken wings, from Eat Boutique

Comments

For some reason the texture of tofu bothers me.

Wish I had this to eat for dinner right now. I'm about to go scavenging in the fridge for dinner!

A lot of Americans say they're bugged by the texture of tofu. Sounds more like an excuse to me, since tofu comes in a fairly wide variety of textures.. all of which I find delightful.

Pam, I can understand why that might happen. I like the more firm tofu (I usually keep extra firm on hand), and with the soft tofu, I often blend it into a sauce. Maybe that will work for you?

Kalyn, I hope you've found something to stir fry in the fridge -- this recipe will work with any combination of ingredients.

Marten, a lot of Americans didn't grow up eating tofu, so it's an acquired taste for many (and for some, a taste that's never acquired). I do prefer the more firm tofu.

This looks really good, Lydia! I have to remember to get shao hsing wine the next time I go to the State Store (or New Jersey). In Pennsylvania, you have to buy wine from a State Store - it's so annoying!

I like the baked tofu that has started appearing at Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, etc. It's very firm, and you can get it in various flavors (teriyaki, asian peanut, etc.).

I'm not familiar with the Asian condiments but dish looks really good. I'd love to feast on it, while snowed in. ;-)

Paz

bacon panini or tofu stir-fry
...hmmm.... :-)

Yummy! The tofu looks good. Can I bring it home? :)