I will give the disclaimer that this was NOT a big winner with the boys. My son ate the rice and my husband took a bite of the tofu. I, however, loved it and so will you if you are a vegetarian, adventurous eater, or just looking to try something new. (If you want to try the recipe, but simply cannot wrap your mind around tofu, chicken is always a great substitute.) There are 2 things you want to remember about tofu. The first being, it is flimsy. Use a paper towel to remove all liquid from the tofu before working with it. You shouldn't cook the tofu with the dish, you should cook it separately and add it after everything is finished. Tofu is already "cooked", so really you are warming it up and searing in the flavors. Mixing it in while cooking the dish will cause it to break apart and turn to mush. The second thing to remember is, tofu has no flavor. Eating a piece plain would result in a mouth of flavorless mush. Tofu takes on the flavor of what you are cooking. For any tofu recipe, you should allow it to soak in a marinade before frying. The recipe calls for frying in oil, but you can use water or even "dry fry". The frying will draw out the liquid that will inevitably be remaining in the tofu, so it shouldn't stick. The rest of the recipe is straightforward. Good luck!
Crispy Tofu Stir Fry
* 2c fresh sugar snap peas (8 ounces)
* 1 12- to 16-oz package light, reduced-fat, or regular extra-firm tub-style tofu (fresh bean curd), drained
* 3tbsp reduced-sodium teriyaki sauce or soy sauce
* 1/4c yellow cornmeal
* 1/8tsp ground red pepper (I used red pepper flakes)
* 2tsp toasted sesame oil (I used olive oil)
* 1 medium red sweet pepper, cut into thin strips
* 1 medium yellow sweet pepper, cut into thin strips
* 2tsp cooking oil
* 1tbsp white or black sesame seed, toasted
Directions
Remove strings and tips from pea pods; cut in half. Set pea pods aside. Cut tofu crosswise into eight 1/2-inch-thick slices. Arrange slices in a single layer in a 2-quart rectangular baking dish. Pour 2 tablespoons of the teriyaki sauce over tofu; turn slices to coat. Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes. In a shallow dish combine cornmeal and ground red pepper. Drain tofu, discarding marinade. Carefully dip tofu slices in cornmeal mixture; press gently to coat both sides. Set tofu slices aside. Pour 1 teaspoon of the sesame oil into a large nonstick skillet. Preheat over medium-high heat. Stir-fry sweet pepper strips for 2 minutes. Add pea pods; stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes more or until crisp-tender. Remove skillet from heat; stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon teriyaki sauce. Transfer vegetable mixture to a serving platter; cover and keep warm. Wipe skillet clean. In the same skillet heat the remaining 1 teaspoon sesame oil and the cooking oil over medium heat. Cook the coated tofu slices for 2-1/2 to 3 minutes on each side or until crisp and golden brown, using a spatula to turn carefully. Serve tofu slices over vegetable mixture. If desired, sprinkle with sesame seeds.
