When I bake, I am The Queen of Exact Measurements; my measuring cups and spoons are all lined up and I do everything to a tee, but when I cook it is a completely different story. When I'm at the stove, there are sure to be about a fifteen different spices at my side as I dash things here and there, and there's probably more than a few different knives, spoons, and spatulas teetering precariously on a chopping board. I get in the zone and become somewhat of an mad scientist as I experiment with different flavors, running here and there to grab an ingredient I just decided would be the finishing touch, only to think of five more finishing touches.
I love the careful process of baking, but I also love the freedom cooking offers, and most of my recipes turn out to be very versatile and open-ended so I can change them up to suit my cravings. I'm quite the fan of creating what I call "base recipes", which have great flavors that could work with whatever I have in the fridge.
When I first tossed together this recipe, it definitely was nowhere near as refined as this. It was my go-to dish for a couple weeks and it turned out slightly different each time, so I decided to break out the measuring cups and spoons and get to work with turning it into another "base recipe"! This Sticky Ginger Broccoli and Tofu is simple yet packed with flavor and different textures, making it a satisfying dish on its own or as a side. The sauce is sweet with a kick from the ginger, and would work well with any other vegetables you toss in. However you make it, I hope you enjoy cooking it as much as you enjoy eating it!
YIELDS
1 large serving, or 2 side servings
PREP TIME
COOK TIME
TOTAL TIME
- 7 ounces Tofu (about half of most tofu packages)
- 2 cups Broccoli, chopped
- 1/4 cup Onion, diced
- 1 tablespoon Ginger, minced
- 1/2 cup Orange juice
- 2 tablespoons Soy sauce (or Tamari to make the dish gluten-free)
- 1 tablespoon Maple syrup
- 1/4 cup Roasted cashews
- 1 tablespoon Extra virgin olive oil or your choice of cooking oil
Directions
1.) In a medium frying pan, heat up the oil on a medium flame/heat setting.
2.) Pat the tofu dry and slice into 8 triangles. Place into the hot oil and fry on each side till golden brown. Once done, remove from pan and place aside.
3.) In the same pan with remaining oil, fry the diced onions until translucent. Add the broccoli and cashews, stirring occasionally.
4.) In a small bowl, mix together the orange juice, soy sauce, maple syrup, and minced ginger.
5.) Returning to the pan of veggies, increase the heat to a medium-high setting and add the fried tofu back in, along with the mixture of liquids. The high heat will caramelize the sugar in the mixture and create a thicker, sticky sauce. Stir continuously to ensure nothing burns. Once most of the liquid has evaporated and everything is evenly coated, remove from heat.
6.) Allow to cool slightly so sauce continues to thicken. Serve as main or side to another dish, and enjoy!
Also by Aubrey: Teriyaki Tempeh Boats With Crunchy Carrot & Celery Salad
Related: Vegan Baked Tofu Hummus Collard Wrap
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Photos: Aubrey Pacheco
