Snap Pea Shiitake Mushroom Tofu Stir Fry


When I threw together this snap pea, mushroom and tofu stir fry, I had in mind that warmer and lighter days were around the corner. I had visions of taking long walks through Central Park wearing light sweaters and my favorite pair of ballerina Crocs. But alas, we are expecting snow tomorrow. It's a bit of a cruel April Fool's Day joke that Mother Nature is playing on us, but hopefully it will be the last one for a while.



I am hoping that next week's weather will the bring warmth necessary to coax the lovely Spring flowers out of its state of hibernation, and that soon we'll be surrounded by graceful, elegant tulips and sweetly fragranced hyacinths lining Park Avenue and Central Park.   


This snap pea, shiitake mushroom stir fry is an early celebration of the abundance of fresh produce that will arrive at the farmer's markets in the northeast over the coming months. The snap peas offer a fresh sweet green crispness, the shiitake mushrooms provide meaty earthy bites, and the tofu gives a solid creamy texture against the backdrop of a spicy garlic, ginger, and soy-based sauce.

I tweaked the recipe a bit by draining the tofu for a denser texture, and so that more of the flavorful sauce would be absorbed. The sauce has also been doubled in this recipe to add more moisture to the entire dish. I also recommend allowing the tofu cubes to crust a bit in the pan before sauteing. The honey in the sauce does a great job in aiding the tofu in browning. 

Snap Pea Tofu Shiitake Mushroom Stir Fry Recipe
Adapted from Bon Appétit | January 2004
Ingredients
  • 1 12-ounce package extra-firm tofu
  • 6 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoon unseasoned rice vinegar
  • 2 tablespoon honey
  • 2 teaspoon oriental sesame oil
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
  • 6 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms, stemmed, caps quartered
  • 8 ounces sugar snap peas, trimmed
  • 1/2 red bell pepper, sliced in 1/4 inch strips
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
  • 4 green onions, sliced on diagonal
Method
  1. Drain the tofu, place it onto a flat plate. Top the tofu with another plate, flat side down, to help press excess liquid out. You may want to place a weight on top of the upper plate, such as a small can, to help press the liquid. Leave for 30 minutes. Drain and slice into 3/4 inch cubes.
  2. Whisk together the soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey, sesame oil, and red pepper in medium bowl to blend. Add tofu and stir to coat; let marinate 30 minutes to an hour. Drain, reserving marinade in small bowl. Whisk 1/4 cup water and cornstarch into marinade.
  3. Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add tofu and slightly sauté until golden, about 2-4 minutes, depending on how brown you would like it. Using slotted spoon, transfer tofu to plate. Add remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil to skillet. Add mushrooms and stir-fry until tender, about 3 minutes. Add sugar snap peas and red bell pepper; stir-fry 2 minutes. Add garlic and ginger; stir-fry 30 seconds. Return tofu to skillet; drizzle reserved marinade mixture over. Stir-fry until marinade thickens slightly, about 30 seconds. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to bowl. Sprinkle with green onions and serve with steamed rice.

37 comments:

Deana Sidney said...

Christine, I firmly believe it is an April Fools joke... snow??? Argh. The run around the park felt more like February than April. Your lovely dish is a welcome foreshadowing of a Spring to come... it will come, I just know it!!!

pam said...

This is insanely gorgeous and full of color!

Fun and Fearless in Beantown said...

This stir fry is great all-year round!

lululu said...

A very vibrant-looking veggi dish! love it!
BTW, any time soon with the baby, right?! :)

Sally - My Custard Pie said...

I feel like I'm getting my daily vitamin quota by just looking at this vibrant green dish.

Unknown said...

I agree that draining the tofu is a must - I find that it helps soak up the flavors from sauces better and holds up better too. I love this seasonal meatless recipe - I'll definitely try it soon!

thechurchcook said...

What beautiful color, Christine! Boy, wish I had this right now for dinner with a bowl of steamed rice. :)

tinyskillet said...

This is right up my ally. You've creative a wonderful stirfy! We are experiencing some stormy weather here in Florida, that's what we get for being sunny and 80 for weeks now. :D

Victoria said...

Beautiful colors in this dish! I too am really anxious for spring to arrive. A mean April Fool's joke indeed.

Belinda @zomppa said...

Strolls with a light sweater? Haha!! This dish is so colorful and flavorful!

pigpigscorner said...

Glad that the weather is getting better and warmer! What a great way to start! Looks yum!

Valerie Harrison (bellini) said...

This is a lovely vegetarian dish. As it happens I have some sugar snap peas at the ready.

Unknown said...

Lovely platter - pleasing to all senses - And healthy too - can't beat that :)

tasteofbeirut said...

You are still freezing! well here it is going to be 89F; oh well! like your dish and its bright colors and snappy flavors and the photo of the sweet peas is just too beautiful!

sweetlife said...

We are at almost 90 here, so part of me wishes I was there with you, but at least I can enjoy this wonderful recipe, great tips..i love tofu extra crispy!!
sweetlife

Mari Nuñez said...

What a wonderful stir fry. The snap peas are one of my favorite veggies.

Snow??? I hope not.

Have a great weekend:)

Katrina (Betty Ray) said...

This dish looks so bright and delicious. I have never had tofu but you are making it very tempting here. Beautiful! I'm hoping this messy weather gives way to spring warmth realy soon too.

Feel well!

Emily said...

Stir fry is one of my favorite quick meals. I love that bright spring-y peas! :)

Rachel said...

My son would go nuts over this dish! Beautiful.

Cassie said...

I love the combination of mushrooms and snow peas. Lots of fresh veggies definitely does remind me of spring!

SavoringTime in the Kitchen said...

I share your pain - winter doesn't seem to want to retreat this year in the north. Hopefully, April will bring warmer weather for us all.

I also can't wait to harvest snap peas from my garden. They are one of my favorite and easiest-to-grow treats. Your recipe sounds like a delightful way to use them!

Unknown said...

It certainly has been quite chilly this year, hopefully it will warm up soon! This stir fry looks fantastic, btw. I've been trying to incorporate more vegetables into my diet and this sounds like a delicious way to do so :-)

Deb in Hawaii said...

Such a pretty dish--full of flavor and color. I hope it brings you spring soon! ;-)

T.W. Barritt at Culinary Types said...

We have had a rough season in the Northeast. Fortunately, we seem to have turned a corner, and the beautiful stir fry and flowers you offered have certainly helped focus me on Spring!

Gloria Baker said...

Absolutely nice pictures Christine, and lovely recipe, have a nice weekend! gloria

sally said...

Looks like an easy and delicious spring meal! I hope you are surviving the weird weather in the NE and that spring will come soon for you all.

Beth said...

I'm hoping for spring, too! Recipes like this helps me remember it isn't far off.

OysterCulture said...

This sounds like the perfect spring recipe. You have me on several fronts, love peas, love mushrooms. Sounds perfect.

Hope all is well and the snow did not prove to be too aweful. Sending comforting, and sweet thoughts your way for your family.

El said...

The warm weather cannot get here soon enough. I can't wait for the farms to open and to feast on some real food. This dish is a perfect tribute to spring. May Friday be the last of the snow. Hope you're feeling ok!

kat said...

Oh I can't wait until the first peas of spring! One more month at least

Barbara said...

I know you've all had a really bad winter...I hope spring will burst through soon.
The only way I can bear to eat tofu is in a stir fry exactly like this one, Christine! I'm anxious to try it.

nancy at good food matters said...

Crazy-crazy weather patterns, for sure. I love the addition of honey to balance the marinade. I recently received several kinds of honey as a gift, and have been considering how to use them in different recipes.

Angie's Recipes said...

Christine, I think I could live just on the stir-fries like this. Well done!

Anonymous said...

Excellent stir-fry! I'm actually planning to make a similar one tonight only using asparagus instead of snap peas :)

lisaiscooking said...

This looks just right for spring. I just received a big bag of pea shoots from my CSA, and I'm thinking they would be good in a dish like this. Doubling the sauce sounds like a great idea!

Magic of Spice said...

Spring does seem to be slow coming...
This is a gorgeous stir fry, love all of that garlic and ginger :)

Lori Lynn said...

So vibrant! Spring is so close!
LL