Hungarian Spiced Stir-Fry Bean Curd* and Vegetables 0

Ingredients:

1 14-oz. pkg. extra firm bean curd, cut into small pieces (approx. 1/2-3/4 inch)
4 oz. (approx.) snow peas, stringed
8 medium mushrooms, quartered
1 stalk celery, sliced (no, not lengthwise)
1 Bell pepper, coarsely chopped (approx. 1/4-1/2 inch)
4 scallions, chopped
Spices of choice to taste. I used approximately

• 1 tbs. ground ginger
• 2 tsp. garlic powder (I was out of fresh garlic, or I’d have minced some up)
• 1 tsp. basil
• 2 tbs. Red Gold Hungarian mild paprika sauce, available from Otto’s Hungarian Deli
• 2 tsp. pepper, freshly ground preferable

Procedure:

1. Prepare ingredients. Placing them separately in little bowls or saucers makes adding them easier, as they are not added all at once. They will be added in a sequence from slowest to fastest to cook.

2. Hear wok or skillet over medium heat until drops of water quickly bead up and evaporate. Add oil (use an oil that is tolerant of higher cooking temperatures, such as grapeseed or rapeseed–er–canola oil).

3. Add one-third or one-half the spices (see the note in item 4.) and allow to cook for a few seconds while stirring.

4. Add bean curd (note: do not add more than will form just one layer–you may to cook it in shifts). Cook until it starts to brown, then reserve it in a warm oven. Repeat as necessary to finish all the bean curd, refreshing the oil and spices before cooking the each batch.

5. Once the bean curd is done and reserved, refresh the oil and spices, then add the scallions, stirring them for three or four minutes.

6. Add the pepper and celery and cook for three or four minutes.

7. Repeat for the mushrooms, then for the snow peas.

8. Add the bean curd and cook, stirring, until it’s thoroughly reheated. Serve over rice.

Serves four.

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*Tofu is nothing more than social-climbing bean curd.