Asian Broccoli and Tofu Stir-Fry Recipe

1. First, make the marinade: whisk together the grated garlic and ginger with the Tamari, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and maple syrup.

2. Preheat oven to 400 F. Then, place the tofu cubes in a bowl or baking dish and pour 1/4 cup of the marinade over the tofu. Let it marinate for about 20 minutes and then spread out evenly on a sheet tray or baking dish about 1/2 inch apart from each other (if you overcrowd the pan, the tofu will steam and not be as firm).

3. Bake the tofu for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Meanwhile, prep and cook your vegetables.
   

4. To blanch your broccoli, bring a pot of water to a rolling boil. While you are waiting for the water to boil, get a bowl of ice water ready so that you can use this to transfer your cooked broccoli to prevent the broccoli from overcooking and maintain its bright green color.

5. When the water comes to a boil, add your broccoli florets and cook for 2-3 minutes or just until tender (time will vary based on the size of your florets). Using a slotted spoon, remove broccoli from boiling water and transfer it to the bowl with the ice water. Once it has cooled, drain and reserve for the stir-fry.
   

6. Heat half of the neutral oil in a large sauté pan (large enough to fit all vegetables comfortably). When the oil starts to shimmer, add the sliced red peppers and sauté for about 2 minutes.

7. Add remaining oil and add the sliced shiitake mushrooms. Sauté another 2-3 minutes. Add the blanched broccoli to the same pan along with 1/2 cup of the marinade.
   

8. Simmer for another 2 minutes or until the sauce is mostly evaporated and has coated the vegetables. Turn off the heat and set aside until tofu is ready.
   

9. Add baked tofu to the pan of cooked vegetables and toss together before serving. (Or you can serve the tofu separately along with other add-in proteins of your choice if you are cooking for a crowd).

10. Divide stir-fry into bowls to serve and if using, garnish with toasted sesame seeds and a drizzle of any extra marinade.

Variations and Substitutions

Use dried ginger instead of fresh if you don't have fresh on hand; add about 1 teaspoon for this recipe.

Adjust the maple syrup to your taste; if you want it slightly sweeter, you can double the amount and it still won't be overly sweet or if you want to omit it altogether, the recipe will still taste delicious.

Modify the vegetables based on what you have on hand or to your taste, just try to keep the total amount the same so that you have enough sauce to flavor everything. Try any other combination of vegetables such as bok choy, scallions, snow peas, green beans, carrots, and other varieties of mushrooms.

This versatile Asian broccoli stir-fry recipe can incorporate a variety of mixed vegetables and while this recipe features tofu, feel free to swap the tofu out for a protein of your choice. Try shrimp, chicken, steak, or edamame.

Cooking and Serving Tips

• By blanching the broccoli first, you get perfectly tender broccoli and can make extra for snacking on or for use in another recipe (pasta with broccoli, garlic, and oil, anyone?).
• This recipe doesn't include a grain component but would be delicious eaten with brown rice or a noodle such as forbidden rice noodles or soba noodles.
• This dish is ideal for advanced meal prep. You can easily make the marinade, bake the tofu, blanch the broccoli, and prep the peppers and mushrooms the day before to make this dish come together in less than 10 minutes before serving.
• If you don't have time to marinate the tofu, it will still taste good simply baked with the marinade; the tofu just won't have as much time to absorb as much of the sauce.