Ginger braised tofu & kale
After the epic Arctic blast brought eighteen inches of snow to our neighborhood this past weekend, I thought it would be a good idea to warm up with a bowl of savory goodness over steaming hot rice.
I remember my mom used to make this on cold winter days when I was growing up, and it being a multi-step involved process. With my five-month-old getting more and more mobile (can’t believe she’s already crawling backward and spinning around on her tummy!), I decided to simplify as much as possible while still keeping the integrity of the original flavors and taste.
Ingredients:
1 package organic extra firm tofu
chopped kale (a few handfuls, to your liking)
organic corn starch
fresh ginger
fresh garlic
chopped scallions
1/2 tsp white pepper
2 tbsp tamari
1/2 cup mushroom broth
water
optional: EVOO, sesame oil, maple syrup, chili flakes, nutritional yeast, brown rice (or other grains of choice), veggies of choice (e.g. chopped mushrooms, spinach)
Instructions:
Press the tofu while assembling the other ingredients. (A tofu press really comes in handy, but if you don’t have one, here’s how you can work with what you’ve got.)
Slice the ginger and garlic into small pieces. (You could also buy the minced ingredients.) Chop a few stems of scallions.
Prepare the sauce by mixing in a small bowl the mushroom broth, water, tamari, white pepper, 2 tsp corn starch, 2-3 chopped mushrooms (or other veggies if you choose), 1/2 tsp ginger, 1/2 tsp garlic, dash of maple syrup, dash of sesame oil, 1 tbsp water). Stir well to combine.
Cut the tofu into cubes and coat with corn starch. (This can be done on a plate or in a large zip lock bag.)
Heat a pan, add EVOO, and pan fry the tofu until golden brown. Remove from pan and set aside.
Use the same pan to saute the ginger until fragrant. Add the garlic, followed by the chopped kale. Stir fry until the leaves start to change color.
Turn the heat to medium, and add the sauce to the pan, followed by the tofu. Gently stir so that all the ingredients are coated with sauce. Cook down the sauce to your desired consistency, or remove from pan and serve the dish over warm rice. Enjoy!