How to Stir Fry Tofu

A stir fry can be made with any combination of tofu and vegetables.

Cooking tofu can seem like a daunting task for a beginner who's afraid of making it resemble a gross eggy custard or overcooking it into a charred mess. It's fairly easy to get it right, though, if you follow a few simple steps.

Things You'll Need

• Tofu
• Peanut oil
• Wok (or high sided frying pan)
• Stir fry vegetables, frozen
• Spatula
• Paper towel

Instructions

1. Choose your type of tofu. Silky tofu is very soft and fragile and cooking it can make it become mushy and resemble bad egg custard. The best type of tofu is either pressed or firm.

2. Preheat your wok over high heat. A wok or high-sided frying pan is crucial. Tofu needs a very even heat in order to firm up or brown.

3. Add 1 tsp. of oil to the hot pan. Peanut oil is healthier for you and has a high heat point meaning it takes a lot to burn and also seers very well at high temperatures.

4. Prepare your tofu by cutting it into 1/2-inch thick cubes, remaining as uniform as possible.

5. Turn the heat down to medium and add your tofu to the oil. Use your spatula to turn the tofu to get a slightly brown color to it.

6. Remove the tofu from the pan and place onto paper towels.

7. Add the vegetables to the already hot pan and cook, from frozen, for two to three minutes.

8. Add the tofu back to the pan (toward the center if using a wok). Constantly move the vegetables and tofu around the pan for another two to three minutes.

9. Serve and enjoy.

Tips & Warnings

• Treat tofu like meat and season prior to placing in a pan to cook. You can even batter tofu.

• Peanut oil can splatter wildly (as many oils) so place the tofu in gently and not tossing it.

Resources

• "Associated Press"; Tricks for working with tofu; Jim Romanoff; May 9, 2007