The Best Broccoli Tofu Stir Fry Recipe - Build Your Bite (2024)

FAQs

Should you cook broccoli before stir frying? ›

An expert Chinese chef's tip for making the best broccoli

First, blanch the florets! This not only softens the stems, but also stops the enzyme that leads to browning.

Press the Tofu Before Stir-Frying

Young also advises pressing the tofu, even extra-firm tofu, between a few layers of paper towels and with something heavy to weigh it down. It's a few extra minutes of work, but there's a big payoff in the texture of the finished tofu.

Extra-Firm Tofu has the least amount of liquid. It's what I always recommend for stir fries, especially if it will be cubed like in this General Tso's Tofu Stir Fry. It still has enough liquid to where you will need to squeeze some of the liquid out.

Always use a non-stick pan – Tofu is prone to sticking, but this can be avoided by cooking it in a quality non-stick pan coated with oil. Don't touch the tofu – Once it's in the pan, don't touch the tofu cubes for a few minutes or until they form a layer of golden crust. This makes them easier to flip and cook.

The Chinese broccoli needs to cook as fast as possible, so that the nutrients and color don't have as much opportunity to leach out into the water. It's best to start with as much boiling water as you can. Restaurants serve amazingly green and crunchy Chinese broccoli because they use huge amounts of boiling water.

Marinated tofu is the best tofu! Bold statement, yes, but it's true: when you infuse your tofu with this sweet, savory, and smoky Tofu Marinade, it's delicious all the way through and NEVER bland! Use it for baked tofu, pan-fried tofu, or cooking tofu in the air fryer.

Here's the thing: even though tofu might be labeled firm or extra-firm, it contains a lot of water. This excess water can cause the tofu to crumble when you cook it, and it will also have a hard time crisping up. But when you press tofu, you remove the excess moisture.

Whichever make you have, simply put the tofu between two plates, tighten the press, and place it somewhere that will catch the liquid drained (inside a clean sink or a rimmed baking sheet). Press the tofu for 15 to 20 minutes.

What to not serve with tofu? According to studies, a high volume consumption of tofu and spinach together can increase your risk of kidney stones. Tofu and spinach contain calcium and oxalic acid respectively and the combined can form kidney stones.

What to season tofu with? ›

Tofu seasoning rub: Rub the pressed tofu with lots of spices like garlic or onion powder, salt and pepper, nutritional yeast or a spicy taco seasoning, KFC seasoning, Buffalo spice, etc. Tofu marinade: Soak the tofu cubes in your favorite chicken/meat marinade to infuse extra flavor.

Using natural fermentation methods, light soy sauce has strong aromatic umami and savoury flavour. Making it ideal as a marinade, dressing, sauce mix and table condiment. It is a great addition to stir-fry recipes, noodles dishes and even our own burger recipe!

Frying oil: Regular vegetable or canola oil, peanut, corn, safflower or sunflower oil are all good options for frying.

Transfer the tofu to a shallow dish and sprinkle with the salt. Toss to evenly season the tofu. Coat with cornstarch. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the cornstarch over the tofu, then toss to evenly coat.

First I either use a non-stick or cast iron pan, I don't overcrowd the surface, I drain my tofu REALLY well, use only extra firm Chinese style and MOST important of all, I leave it undisturbed while cooking and this allows the golden crust we all love on pan-fried tofu to develop!

Broccoli can be eaten raw, but blanching it quickly in boiling water helps give it a more crisp-tender texture and bring out its flavor. Broccoli can also be steamed, sautéed, and roasted. You could even throw long spears on the grill!

These vegetables benefit from blanching as it helps to soften them slightly while preserving their crunch and color. How long should vegetables be blanched for stir fry? The blanching time for vegetables can vary, but as a general rule, most vegetables should be blanched for about 1-2 minutes.

Stir-frying and stir-frying/boiling, the two most popular methods for most homemade dishes in China, cause great losses of chlorophyll, soluble protein, soluble sugar, vitamin C, and glucosinolates, but the steaming method appears the best in retention of the nutrients in cooking broccoli.