Stir Fried Tofu with Veggies

Paula asked if I could post a recipe for a one-dish, vegetarian, gluten-free, easy dinner. Treat this recipe as a basic one, substituting the vegetables that you enjoy most and/or have on hand. The recipe appeared in Bon Appetit's January 2004 issue and it has won rave reviews. As with all stir fries, have the ingredients prepped and ready to go into the skillet before starting to cook. This can be done while tofu is marinating. Serve with rice.

3 tbl. soy sauce

1 tbl. unseasoned rice vinegar

1 tbl. honey

1 tsp. oriental sesame oil

1/4 tsp. dried crushed red pepper

1 12 ounce package extra-firm tofu, drained, cut into 3/4 inch cubes, patted dry with paper towels

1/4 cup water

1 tsp. cornstarch

2 tbl. vegetable oil, divided

6 ounces fresh shitake mushrooms, stemmed, caps quartered

8 ounces sugar snap peas, trimmed

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 tbl. minced peeled fresh ginger

4 green onions, sliced on the diagonal

Whisk first five ingredients in medium bowl to blend. Add tofu and stir to coat; let marinate 30 minutes. Drain, reserving marinade in small bowl. Whisk 1/4 cup water and cornstarch into marinade.

Heat 1 tbl. vegetable oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add tofu and saute until golden, about 2 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer tofu to plate. Add remaining 1 tbl. vegetable oil to skillet. Add mushrooms and stir fry until tender, about 3 minutes. Add sugar snap peas; stir fry 2 minutes. Add garlic and ginger; stir fry 30 seconds. Return tofu to skillet; drizzle reserved marinade mixture over. Stir fry until marinade thickens slightly, about 30 seconds. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to bowl. Sprinkle with green onions and serve.

Serves 4

Notes: Add broccoli, zucchini, carrots, cut in small pieces, to the dish and cook until they are tender. They will take longer to cook than the mushrooms and snap peas.