Broccoli Tofu and in Black Bean Peanut Sauce
1 pound firm tofu, diced
1 large or 2 small heads of broccoli, chopped
1/4 cup black beans, partially mashed
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tablespoon tamari
2 1/2 tablespoons natural peanut butter (smooth or chunky)
2 teaspoons sesame or cooking oil
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
1 teaspoon sesame seeds or chopped peanuts for garnish (optional)
1. Heat sesame oil in large skillet or frying pan on medium heat. Add diced tofu and brown slightly. Add garlic and broccoli and stir for a minute, then lower heat a tiny bit and cover for another minute.
2. Remove lid and add peanut butter, tamari, and black beans. Stir to cover broccoli and tofu. Add cayenne if using. If mixture is too dry add a couple tablespoons of water.
3. When broccoli reaches desired tenderness, remove from heat, sprinkle with the sesame seeds if using and serve with your favorite grain. I like it with quinoa, rice or pasta.
Source of recipe: My friend made me something like this without the beans. I think the beans give it a little something extra. This is a really filling and delicious meal.
SO HOW'D IT GO?
This recipe is delish and super easy! i passed it on to my best friend and co-workers. Be sure you don't over cook the broccoli and take time to fry the tofu until browned on each side and firm. I skipped the oil to allow the water to come out of the tofu...smooshing it with a spatula helps a lot! I fried the pieces in a flat large non-stick pan. I used less peanut butter and added 1/2 tblsp of peanut sauce that i typically use in pad thai.
i've made this on three occasions and it has been great each time.
I tried this late night and it didn't turn out like I was expecting. Perhaps I didn't use the right kind of tofu? I used 365 (Whole Foods) Extra Firm. I put it in the heated pan with oil and it didn't brown like I thought it would. Was the pan not hot enough?
The broccoli cooked well and the partially-mashed black beans were tasty, but I realized that I would have had more success had I microwaved the peanut butter for 30 seconds. It would have been more viscous instead of congealed. There were bites that didn't have much peanut butter because it tended to stick to only the parts of the stir fry that it first touched.
I would make this again, but probably only for myself as my hubby's not a big tofu fan.