Chinese-style Tofu "Sauce"

Seebee's Note:

Definitely a comfort food, this can be the main course with rice rather than just a 'sauce' to put over the rice! If you're desperate and without cashew or sesame butter, try experimenting with tahini and/or peanut butter. Note: I have no idea how long it takes to chop the vegetables, and I realize the minutes don't add up to the total cook time. What can I say, I'm slow...but I sure can cook!

• Total Time: 35 mins
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 3

• 2 tablespoons oil
• 1 teaspoon fresh grated gingerroot
• 1 teaspoon fresh minced garlic
• 2 small red bell peppers , minced or cut into small bite size pieces
• 5 mushrooms , thinly sliced
• 3 green onions , the whites thinly sliced and greens cut into 2 inch lengths
• 16 ounces tofu , cut into 1/2 inch cubes
• 2 tablespoons red miso , creamed with
• ½ cup water
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 tablespoon smooth cashew butter or 1 tablespoon tahini sesame butter
• ½ teaspoon rice wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch , dissolved in
• 2 tablespoons water

Directions:

1. Heat the oil in a wok (or skillet/deep pan).
2. Saute gingerroot, garlic, and red peppers for 2-3 minutes.
3. Add mushrooms and onion whites and saute another 2-3 minutes.
4. Add onion greens and tofu cubes and saute for a minute or so.
5. Combine the miso, soy sauce, honey, cashew butter, and vinegar in a bowl or small glass, mixing well.
6. Pour this mixture into the wok.
7. Let it simmer for about a minute while stirring the sauce into the tofu and vegetables.
8. Stir in the dissolved cornstarch, letting it simmer until it thickens.
9. Serve hot with rice.

Reviews

[PinkCherryBlossom]

I really, really enjoyed this. It's not a dish that will wow the palette or impress at a dinner party but it is good honest comfort food. I browned my tofu seperately as I like it really brown on the outside and I also let my sauce cook down as when I added the corn flour it thickened up to a soup consistency and I like my Sauce to be thicker and "stick" to the food. Apart from that I enjoyed the dish very much and will be making again!

[VegSocialWorker]

I did like this recipe and was really excited to use red miso and cashew butter for the first time. I decided to add some extra veggies to make a stir-fry and not just a sauce. There was plenty of sauce to cover the extra veggies, but despite how much went into the sauce it was still a bit bland for our taste. Needed some more soy sauce and some chilis. Thank you for this recipe, will try again with some additions.