Bok Choy.
It seems to be a seasonal favorite of my CSA bin as of late. For two weeks in a row, it has been one of the components of my bin. Now, normally I would simply make a stir-fry out of it…but I’ve been attempting to expand on my culinary skills a little. Step a little outside the comfort zone. Do something…different.
I think I accomplished that last night when I cooked up a meal inspired by the blog Big Girls Small Kitchen. I had all the components on hand in my pantry and fridge…including the bok choy and tofu.
What emerged was a fantastic meal that really worked together. I served mine over basmati rice…which I cooked up while I was working on the rest of the dish as well. It was a fantastic meal and not too difficult to create either.
Recipe: Gluten-Free Sweet-and-Sour Tofu with Bok Choy
Servings: 2
Time: Prep 10 minutes; Cook 20 minutes
Ingredients:
- 6 ounces firm tofu
- 2 tablespoons flour (I used Better Batter Gluten-Free All Purpose Flour)
- Pinch salt
- 2 tablespoons safflower, grapeseed, or other neutral oil
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon grated ginger (I used 1 teaspoon ground ginger)
- 1 tablespoon grated garlic (3 cloves)
- Sriracha
- 2 bunches baby bok choy, rinsed, trimmed and cut into bite-sized pieces
- 3 scallions, white and green parts chopped and separated (I substituted 1/2 a white onion)
Directions:
Cut the tofu into slices about 1 inch thick. Press the water out of the slices, then cut them into 1-inch square cubes. In a baggie or on a wide plate, toss the tofu with the flour and salt until all the pieces have a thin coating.
Mix the lemon juice, honey, soy sauce, sriracha, garlic and ginger in a small bowl. Add 1 tablespoon water.
In a frying pan, warm the oil. In one layer, brown the tofu (in two batches if your pan is small), about 4 minutes per side.
Return all the tofu to the pan if you browned it in two batches.
Put in the onions and the crunchy part of the bok choy and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the green leaves and cook 1 more minute.
Add the sauce.
Bring the tofu to a boil, then lower the heat and let is simmer until the sauce has reduced and coats the tofu thickly, about 10 minutes.
~*~*~
I was so happy with the way this meal turned out. The tofu was perfectly cooked, the flour giving it this slight texture to it, even after cooking in the sauce. The bok choy and onion, along with the sauce brought this amazing flavor to every component. I loved this sauce. It smelled amazing and it had the perfect balance of sweet and sour…nothing overpowering the other.
This meal is a great source of protein. As I said, I served mine over a serving of basmati rice…and it was delicious. This meal was so easy to put together and cook…perfect for those nights where you don’t want to spend all night in the kitchen cooking up dinner.
The Celiathlete 