Kung pao tofu

Yield: 4 Servings

Ingredients:

5 tb Rice vinegar
1 tb Brown sugar
3 tb Soy sauce
2 tb Chinese sesame oil
1/2 To 1 ts crushed red pepper
3/4 lb Very firm tofu -- cut in bite size cubes
1/2 c Minced onion
2 lg Or 3 sm celery stalks -- cut in small dice
1 md Carrot; cut in small dice
1/2 c Bamboo shoots -- cut in small dice
1 c Peas; fresh if possible
4 md Garlic cloves; minced
6 Scallions; whites only -- cut in 1/2" pieces
2 sm Or 1 md zucchini -- cut first in thin strips -- then into small dice
1 1/2 tb Cornstarch
2 tb Peanut oil or
2 tb Chinese sesame oil -- for sauteing
1/2 ts Salt
1 c Peanuts; preferably roasted

Instructions:

-- and unsalted MMMMM-----------------VARIATION (SAUTEED TWELVE---------------------- MMMMM-------------------AFTER ADDING TOFU ADD------------------------ 1/2 c Diced water chestnuts 1 c Lightly toasted cashews 2 Cakes tofu kan or 5-spice -tofu In a medium-sized bowl combine vinegar sugar soy sauce sesame oil and red pepper; mix to combine. Add the diced tofu and tip the bowl in each direction to allow all the tofu to come into contact with the marinade. Cover and let marinate for at least an hour. Prepare the onion celery carrot and bamboo shoots and place these together in a bowl. Set aside. In a separate bowl combine peas garlic scallions and zucchini; set aside. About 15 minutes before serving time place the cornstarch in a small bowl. Drain the marinade from the tofu into the bowl. Whisk this mixture until the cornstarch dissolves. Set aside leaving the whisk in the bowl. Heat a medium-sized wok. Add 2 tb. peanut oil or sesame oil. When it is hot add the bowlful of onions celery etc. and the salt and stir-fry over high heat for about 5 minutes. Add the second bowlful of vegetables (peas garlic etc.) and stir-fry another 2 to 3 minutes keeping the heat high. Add the drained tofu. Stir-fry another 3 to 5 minutes--until all the vegetables are *just* tender. Whisk the cornstarch mixture from the bottom and pour it in. Stir-fry several more minutes then add the peanuts. Serve immediately over rice. Yield: 4 to 6 servings. From _Still Life with Menu_ by Mollie Katzen. From: scregger@u.washington.edu (Sheri Cregger) in rec.food.veg.cooking. Formatted by Cathy Harned.