Snow Peas with Tofu

Chinese rice wine

Chinese rice wine label

Soy sauce

Sesame seed oil

Snow Peas with Tofu

I was in the grocery and bought some really fresh snow peas.  Initially I thought of stir frying them with a bunch of other vegetables but instead opted for a simpler dish. 

 

Snow Peas with Tofu

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 teaspoon minced ginger

1 C sliced green onions

1 lb deep-fried tofu

1 lb snow peas, trimmed

½ C Chinese rice wine

¼ C soy sauce

Salt and pepper to taste

1 tablespoon sesame seed oil (optional)

 

Saute ginger and green onions in oil on medium heat for 2 minutes.  Add deep-fried tofu, stirring occasionally, 2 minutes.  Add snow peas, toss to coat.  Add rice wine and soy sauce.  Season with salt and pepper.  Cook until snow peas are crisp-tender, about 3 minutes.   Add sesame oil just before serving.

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This dish would make a great vegetarian meal served with some rice, or part of a meal with meat.  It is very pleasing to the eye with the vibrant green snow peas and golden deep-fried tofu.  It is fragrant from the combination of green onions, ginger, soy sauce and rice wine.  The snow peas provide a nice crunch from not being cooked too long, and the puffy deep-fried tofu is crisp on the outside and soft on the inside.  The addition of sesame oil brings everything together and lends a luxurious silkiness to the dish.

 As with any stir-fry you can jazz up this dish with mouse ear mushrooms, cashew nuts, canned baby corn, bamboo shoots, sliced water chestnuts, sliced carrots, pieces of dried chile de arbol, oyster sauce,  etc.  The possibilities are almost endless!  Just be sure to cut meat or vegetables bite-sized so they cook quickly and evenly.  Deep-fried tofu can be found in most Asian markets.  You can also deep-fry it yourself.

Let me know if you need help finding some of the ingredients.  What will you put in your next stir-fry?