Crispy Tofu Stir Fry w. Thai Basil
make the components ahead for a very FAST dinner
Peppers, Onions, Basil, Oh My…
In the latest addition of “What should I do with the produce I bought at the farmers market?”… Peppers of all colors and shapes are plentiful (and often one of the more inexpensive options) at the farmer’s market right now. Same deal with onions and basil. So one of the dinners I made this week was inspired by exactly those ingredients. Pre-2.5 years ago I really did not enjoy tofu nor did I ever cook it at home. But when I food styled my friend Jenny Rosenstrach’s latest cookbook, that all changed. The crispy tofu out of her book The Weekday Vegetarians made me LOVE making tofu (like bell peppers and onions, it’s nice and inexpensive). I promise you, if you're weary of tofu, this is THE WAY TO GO. It will make you a member of the “I actually like tofu” club. My 2 year old is now in that club, so this dinner is an all around hit.
Crispy Tofu Stir Fry with Thai Basil
No, you don’t need Thai basil. You can use regular basil. BUT if you happen to see it, buy it! It has a very unique, kind of minty flavor that is delicious. You can make the components of this dish ahead to make your life easier when dinner time rolls around:
marinate the tofu ahead
line the sheet pan and leave it on the stove
make the stir fry sauce ahead
cut up all the veggies ahead
get out the pans you’ll need to cook ahead
After that it all comes together within 20 minutes. The tofu takes 20 min to bake, the rice takes 20 minutes to steam (or buy frozen who cares!), and within that time you stir fry the veggies. and DONE! Once you make it once you wont need my recipe. Paid subscribers will have access to this EASY recipe at the bottom of this email.
What I’m Loving This Week:
Homemade Mayo: Or “aioli'“ if you want to sound high brow. Listen, I love Hellman’s, I truly do. But, I don’t love those ingredients. And during the summer I consume ALOT of mayo. I’ve tried ALL, and I mean ALL, of the better quality/avocado oil versions at Whole Foods. They all suck. The only other mayo that will grace my tomato sandwiches or bind my chicken salads is a homemade mayo. I’m going to give you my recipe below - it is highly inspired by the one on Serious Eats. You need an immersion blender to do it. But it’s stupid easy. I use avocado oil as my “neutral oil” only because it is much better for you than a grape-seed oil, vegetable or canola oil. The flavor profiles are endless too (Lime zest & Saffron, Anchovy, Harissa…) Try it! Let me know how you like it!
In the bottom of a jar that the immersion blender will fit into, but not too much wider than it. A wide mouth, 2 cup, ball jar works great:
1 whole egg (use the best quality you can afford here)
1 small garlic clove
juice from 1/4 of a lemon
kosher salt (start with about 1/2 tsp.)
3/4 cup neutral oil
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Cup the immersion blender over the egg yolk and turn it on. You will immediately see the egg and oil emulsifying. Move the immersion blender in an up and down motion to capture any oil that is not blended in. Blend just until the mayo is thick and fully emulsified. Taste it for salt and lemon juice. Store it in a jar in the refrigerator for up to a week- if it lasts that long.
Serves 4
Crispy Tofu:
1 (14 ounce) block of firm tofu
2 tablespoons neutral oil