Tofu Stir Fry With Cashews in Teriyaki Sauce

August 6, 2010 by Mansi

I can say I have never been much of a Tofu person, and restrict eating Tofu only in Thai or Asian restaurants. But now that I’m a responsible mom who has to find creative ways to feed her toddler healthy food, Tofu has suddenly gained some limelight:) I love Tofu in my Pineapple Fried Rice, and I have also made Tofu Satay before. But for a long time, I was looking to replicate the Tofu Stir-Fry recipe with Cashews that we had once enjoyed in Banana Leaf restaurant, and now, thanks to Ashley, I have one on my recipe journal!

This Vegetarian Tofu Stir-Fry recipe comes from Ansley, via Eat Me Delicious, who originally adapted it from the cookbook Eat Drink & Be Vegan The bite-sized tofu pieces, mixed with the broccoli florets and vegetables in the delicious Teriyaki sauce are simply irresistible. but what makes this recipe a winner is the addition of fried cashews (Note: the original recipe calls for raw cashews, but I think Fried cashews lend a better flavor to the dish; you can choose to go either ways).

Unlike my misconception, the Teriyaki Sauce is very easy to make, and it can be used as a base recipe for any other Teriyaki recipe. Also, feel free to adjust the spice level to suit your taste-buds, and add more veggies if you like, to make it more filling and nutritious.

Vegetarian Tofu Stir-Fry with Cashews in Teriyaki Sauce

Ingredients
Serves 3-4 adults

Tofu
12 oz (350 g) firm or extra firm tofu, cubed 1/2-3/4 inch thick
1 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
1 1/2 tbsp rice wine vinegar

Teriyaki Sauce
1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup water
3 1/2 tbsp honey or agave nectar
1 1/2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp blackstrap molasses
6 medium cloves garlic, minced
2 1/2 tsp freshly grated ginger
1 tbsp cornstarch

Stir-Fry
1 tbsp oil
4 1/2-5 cups broccoli (florets and stalks), chopped (about 1/2 lb)
2 tsp water
1 medium large red, yellow or orange bell pepper, diced
1/2 cup fried cashews
1/2 cup green onions, sliced

Method
In a shallow dish, add tofu. Pour soy sauce and vinegar over tofu and marinate for 10 minutes or longer (flip tofu at least once while marinating). Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk all ingredients for teriyaki sauce until cornstarch is dissolved (or put it in a blender to puree).

In a large frying pan or wok on high, heat 1/2 tbsp oil. Add tofu and saute for 4-5 minutes, then turn over to saute for another 3-4 minutes, until lightly brown on each side. Remove from pan and set aside.

Reduce heat to medium, add another 1/2 tbsp oil to wok, and add broccoli and water. Toss, cover and cook for 4-5 minutes, until broccoli turns bright green, then add bell peppers and saute uncovered for another 1-2 minutes. Add Teriyaki sauce and increase heat to high. Toss to coat, and let sauce come to a slow boil.

As soon as sauce has reached a slow boil and has thickened, add tofu, cashews and green onions, and toss to combine. Remove pan from heat and serve immediately.