Cast Iron Stir-Fry With Avocado, Basil & Peanuts
Ingredients
Sauce ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
- 2 tablespoons mirin
- 1 tablespoon plus one teaspoon soy sauce (or gluten free tamari)
- 1 tablespoon agave syrup
- 2 tablespoons water
For the stir-fry:
- Peanut oil (in a spray bottle if you’ve got it)
- 14 oz tofu cubed (press it if you have the time, otherwise just blot with a paper towel to remove moisture)
- Salt
- Fresh black pepper
- 1 lb broccoli cut into florettes, stems sliced 1/4 inch thick
- 1 pc small red onion sliced into half moons
- 1 pc bell pepper (red, yellow or orange) sliced 1/4 inch thick
- 2 teaspoons fresh ginger minced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper (use half that if you’re a spice wimp)
To garnish:
- Avocado diced
- Roasted salted peanuts
- 2 big handfuls fresh basil leaves chiffonade (or thinly sliced)
Instructions
- Preheat the cast iron over high heat. On my stove, I bring it up to about 8, but stovetops vary. In the meantime, mix together the sauce ingredients and set aside.
- Have at the ready a baking pan or mixing bowl to place the ingredients as they finish cooking. I like to use a 9×13 pan so that there’s plenty of room and things aren’t sitting on top of each other and steaming.
- Once pan is good and hot, apply a thin layer of olive oil. Add the cubed tofu and sprinkle with a pinch of salt and fresh black pepper. The ingredients should immediately sizzle when they hot the pan, otherwise, turn the heat up. Cook for about 7 minutes, tossing often and spraying with oil as necessary, until it’s nicely browned, like so:
- All sides don’t have to be evenly browned, just as long as a few of them are, you’re good to go.
- Transfer tofu to the baking pan or bowl, and proceed with the broccoli. Apply a thin layer of oil, toss in broccoli, add a pinch of salt and fresh black pepper. Cook until broccoli is charred and bright green, about 5 minutes. Cover the pan between tosses, so that it cooks faster. Transfer to the pan with the tofu.
- Now proceed with the onion and peppers. Apply a thin layer of oil, and toss in the onions and peppers. Spinkle with a pinch of salt and fresh black pepper. Cook for about 3 minutes, it should be charred but still crisp. Transfer to the pan with the tofu. Now we’ll finish it off with the sauce.
- Add the garlic, ginger and red pepper flakes to the cast iron pan and drizzle with a little oil and saute until fragrant (about a minute) being careful not to burn. Add the sauce and mix together until heated through and bubbly, about 2 minutes.
- Now, add back all the veggies and the tofu and toss to coat. Taste for salt and seasoning.
- Serve over quinoa or brown rice, top with avocado, peanut and basil and serve hot!
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
