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Stir-Fry Sundae

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Makes 2 Servings 1x

Time 20 Minutes

Units Scale

Ingredients

  • 12 to 16 ounces silken tofu (see the headnote)
  • Salt
  • 2 or 3 scallions
  • 1 tablespoon good-quality vegetable oil (I used sunflower)
  • 2-inch knob ginger, peeled and chopped
  • 3 or 4 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
  • 10 ounces any greens (I used a mix of mustards)
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce, plus more to taste
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • Black pepper
  • Hot sauce or chili crisp and lemon wedges for serving

Instructions

  1. Put the tofu in a covered microwave-safe container, carefully removing it from the package in one or two pieces if possible. (Or use an electric or stovetop steamer.) Sprinkle generously with salt and steam until the tofu puffs and is super hot, about 5 minutes in the microwave on high (or five minutes after the water boils in a steamer). Let the tofu sit, covered, until you pull together the stir-fry.
  2. While the tofu steams, slice the scallions, keeping the white and green parts separate. Put the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat and add the white scallion slices (no need to let the oil fully heat). Peel and chop the ginger, drop it in the pan, and give a stir. Peel and slice the garlic and stir it into the now sizzling oil, too. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft, brown in places, and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, rinse and chop the greens.
  3. When the aromatics are ready, turn the heat to high and pour 1/2 cup water into the skillet. Immediately start adding the greens, stirring to soften them, and make room in the pan. Sprinkle with a little salt and continue cooking and stirring until greens are tender but still brightly colored and the water is almost evaporated, just a couple minutes. Add the soy sauce and sesame oil and lots of black pepper; taste and adjust the seasoning.
  4. To serve, use a slotted spoon to scoop ice-cream-like mounds of the tofu into bowls, leaving behind as much water as possible. Top with the stir-fry and pan juices. Splatter on some hot sauce or chile crisp, drizzle with more soy sauce, and squeeze lemon juice over all.

Recipe variations

Note:

Silken tofu is available in a few different ways: freshly made at some Asian supermarkets or restaurants, commercially packaged in a teeny bit of water and refrigerated, or sealed in cartons on the supermarket shelf. It can also be identified as firm or soft and the weight can vary depending on how much water is in the brick. The shelf-stable kind is less interesting and a tad gelatinous and dense, so go for the fluffier fresh or refrigerated kinds if you can find ’em. To veer this dish into banana split territory, add a scoop of brown rice in the bowl.