Name: Stir Fried String Beans With Tofu
Cook time: 40 minutes
Total time: 40 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 1 block (16 ounces, or 454 g) firm tofu, cut into 1/2-inch cubes; 1 Tbsp. Shaoxing wine (or dry sherry); ¼ tsp. salt; 2 tsp. cornstarch; 2 Tbsp. soy sauce; 2 Tbsp. Shaoxing wine (or dry sherry); 2 Tbsp. store-bought or homemade black bean sauce; 4 tsp. sugar; 2 tsp. cornstarch; 2 Tbsp. peanut oil (or vegetable oil), divided, plus 1 tsp. for drizzling; 1 pound (454 g) green beans, cut into 1-inch-long pieces; 3 cloves garlic, chopped; 2 tsp. minced ginger; 2 scallions, sliced; Prepared rice, for serving (optional)

Stir fried string beans with tofu in a skillet.

Photo by Maggie Zhu

This is an example of how to use the homemade black bean sauce to whip up a main dish fast. I used tofu in this stir-fry, though you can use other types of plant-based protein, such as tempeh or seitan.

This recipe was excerpted from 'Chinese Homestyle' by Maggie Zhu. Buy the full book on Amazon.

Recipe information

Total Time
40 minutes
Yield
4 servings

Ingredients

Tofu

1 block (16 ounces, or 454 g) firm tofu, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1 Tbsp. Shaoxing wine (or dry sherry)

¼ tsp. salt

2 tsp. cornstarch

Sauce

2 Tbsp. soy sauce

2 Tbsp. Shaoxing wine (or dry sherry)

2 Tbsp. store-bought or homemade black bean sauce

4 tsp. sugar

2 tsp. cornstarch

Stir-fry

2 Tbsp. peanut oil (or vegetable oil), divided, plus 1 tsp. for drizzling

1 pound (454 g) green beans, cut into 1-inch-long pieces

3 cloves garlic, chopped

2 tsp. minced ginger

2 scallions, sliced

Prepared rice, for serving (optional)

Preparation

Step 1
To prepare the tofu: Pat the tofu dry with paper towels. In a large bowl, combine the tofu, 1 tablespoon wine, salt, and 2 teaspoons cornstarch and stir to mix well. Let stand for 15 minutes to marinate while you prepare the other ingredients.
Step 2
To make the sauce: In a medium bowl, combine ⅓ cup of water with the soy sauce, 2 tablespoons wine, black bean sauce, sugar, and 2 teaspoons cornstarch. Stir to mix well.
Step 3
To make the stir-fry: In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium-high heat until hot. Strain the tofu and add it to the skillet without overlapping. Let cook undisturbed until the bottoms turn golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip over and cook the other sides until golden. Transfer to a large plate.
Step 4
Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and the green beans to the pan and reduce the heat to medium. Cook the green beans, stirring and flipping occasionally, until they are browned and tender, 10 minutes or so. Reduce the heat to medium-low if the pan starts to smoke.
Step 5
Increase the heat to medium-high and add the garlic, ginger, and scallions. Drizzle with the 1 teaspoon oil and cook and stir for 1 minute to release
the fragrance.
Step 6
Add the tofu back into the skillet. Stir the sauce again to make sure the cornstarch is dissolved, then pour it into the pan. Stir a few times until the sauce thickens and coats the ingredients.
Step 7
Immediately transfer the contents of the pan to a large plate and serve hot over rice (if using).