Recipe: Asian-Styled Tofu with Asparagus

As always, regard this recipe as a template to use your ingredients at hand to their best advantage. I'd imagine bok choy, broccoli or spinach would be delicious, for instance, as a substitute for asparagus.

Yield: 2 servings (4, 2 1/2 by 3 1/2-inch pieces)
Time to drain tofu: 30-60 minutes
Active time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 pound firm or extra-firm tofu, cut into 4 rectangular pieces
• 2-3 tablespoons sesame or peanut oil
• 1/4 cup sliced onion
• 1 cup (1-inch pieces) thin asparagus, ends discarded or saved for stock
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon minced ginger
• 1 small bell pepper, any color, seeds and ribs removed and diced
• Toasted sesame seeds

Directions

1. Place tofu rectangles on paper towels for 30 minutes to 1 hour, weighted if desired, and allow to drain.
2. Preheat a large saute pan to medium-high. Add 1 tablespoon oil. When oil has heated but is not smoking, add the asparagus and cook 1-2 minutes or until they are just begin to bend. Remove from heat and reduce heat to medium.
3. Add and additional tablespoon of oil and add onions; cook one minute. Place tofu in pan. Cook 3-5 minutes on each side, or until tofu is golden brown, adding additional oil to pan if dry. Add 1/2 cup water, soy sauce and ginger, reduce heat slightly, and cook until liquid is almost absorbed by tofu, turning tofu once. Add diced pepper to pan and return asparagus to pan and heat through.
4. Serve tofu topped with asparagus and a light sprinkle of sesame seeds.

This recipe was written by Peggy Lampman and originally posted on AnnArbor.com on April 27, 2011.