Tofu and Edamame Stir-Fry

Where This Goes Wrong

Extra-firm tofu only. Silken and firm both collapse, and no amount of technique saves them.

Leave the tofu alone between turns. Moving it constantly is how the crust comes off in the pan.

Everything must be cut and within reach before the wok goes on. This dish takes twelve minutes and none of them are spare.

Making Tofu and Edamame Stir-Fry

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1. Wrap the tofu in a clean cloth, set a heavy pan on top and press it for 20 minutes. Pour away what comes out — it is a surprising amount.

   Mark done Start 20 min timer

2. Cut the tofu into 2.5 cm cubes and toss with the cornflour and salt until every face is dusted.

   Mark done

3. Whisk the sauce ingredients together in a small bowl and keep it beside the hob. Stir-frying leaves no time to measure.

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4. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a wok over high heat and fry the tofu in one layer for 6 to 8 minutes, turning every couple of minutes, until it is golden on most sides. Lift it out.

   Mark done Start 6 min timer

5. Add the last tablespoon of oil and the broccoli and edamame, and stir-fry 3 minutes.

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6. Add the garlic, ginger and chilli and stir-fry 45 seconds, no longer — garlic burns and turns bitter fast at this heat.

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7. Pour in the sauce, stir until it thickens and glosses, about 30 seconds, then return the tofu and the spring onions and toss twice to coat.

   Mark done Start 30 sec timer

Related guide: Prep, cook and total time.

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Why the Method Works

Tofu is bland because it is wet, not because it is tofu. Pressing out the water and coating it in cornflour gives a surface that actually crisps, and a crisp surface holds sauce instead of shedding it. Edamame is doing quiet work here: 200 g adds around 24 g of protein, which is what takes this from a decent vegetable dish to a serious one.

Storage and Reheating

Refrigerate up to 3 days. The tofu loses its crust in the fridge and will not get it back; reheat hard in a dry pan rather than a microwave to recover some of it.

If You're Missing Something

• Out of spring onions? A small regular onion, finely sliced, or a few chives stirred in at the end both cover the job.
• Dried chilli flakes can stand in for the red chilli. Heat varies a great deal between chillies and between jars, so start with a small pinch and add more to taste.
• If you only have ground ginger, a quarter-teaspoon for each tablespoon of fresh is the ratio usually given; it tastes warmer and less bright than the fresh root.

Serving Tofu and Edamame Stir-Fry

• Steamed jasmine rice
• A cold light beer
• Cucumber salad with rice vinegar

Questions and Answers

Tofu and Edamame Stir-Fry Nutrition Facts

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list with USDA FoodData Central figures (SR Legacy). A calculation, not a laboratory analysis: brands, cuts and how you measure change the real numbers. How the figures are worked out.

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