Gingery Asparagus, Corn, and Tofu Stir-Fry

I've never really considered myself an Asian stir-fry kind of person. I don't know why; they just usually don't get me all that excited. But this one I like so much that I've made it twice now (and recipes don't often get repeated in my house). It's got a great combination of veggies, chewy browned tofu cubes, and a really easy yet super aromatic sauce. And it's the perfect weeknight meal because it takes less than a half-hour to prepare.

Gingery Asparagus, Corn, and Tofu Stir-Fry
From Cooking Light

• 4 tablespoons canola oil, divided
• 10 oz extra-firm tofu, drained and cut into 3/4-inch cubes
• 2/3 cup fresh corn kernels
• 1 tablespoon grated peeled fresh ginger
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 small onion, sliced
• 1 julienne-cut red bell pepper
• 6 oz asparagus, steamed and cut into 1-inch pieces (you can skip the steaming if you have super-thin asparagus)
• 1/4 cup vegetable broth
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 2 cups hot cooked short-grain rice
• 2 scallions, sliced, for garnish

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat; swirl to coat. Add tofu and saute for 10 minutes or until golden brown, stirring frequently. Remove tofu from pan with a slotted spoon; wipe pan dry with a paper towl. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in pan; swirl to coat. Add corn and next 4 ingredients (through bell pepper) and stir-fry 5 minutes. Add reserved tofu, asparagus, and next 4 ingredients (through crushed red pepper). Stir-fry 1 minute or until asparagus and tofu are heated. Divide the rice evenly among 4 plates. Spoon about 1 cup stir-fry mixture over rice, and top evenly with scallions.

Confetti Fried Rice with Baked Tofu

There's a Chinese restaurant across the street from our apartment called Tasteful Delight (does that sound dirty to you, or is it just me?). Their food is nothing spectacular, but for some reason on especially cold nights the whole street just smells so intensely of whatever it is they're cooking in there. Like, fried goodness and hoisin sauce and brothy noodles and pork.

Needless to say, the temptation to stop in on my way home is often great. But, unsurprisingly, their food is really unhealthy. So when the craving for a little Tasteful Delight strikes, I try to make some healthy Chinese food at home. This dish, adapted from (you guessed it) Appetite for Reduction, is so quick and easy, especially if you use leftover rice. (I made something with rice last night, so I just made a few extra cups and stuck them in the fridge for this very purpose.) And it's so pretty with the shredded veggies -- that's why I called it confetti rice. You might even say that this dish is a tasteful delight.

Confetti Fried Rice with Baked Tofu

• One block of firm or extra-firm tofu, pressed for 30 minutes to an hour
• Soy sauce
• 1 cup dry rice or about 3 cups leftover cooked rice
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1/3 cup minced shallot
• 3 cloves minced garlic
• 2 teaspoons minced ginger
• Zucchini, grated on the large holes of a box grater
• Carrot (or 2 smallish carrots), grated on the large holes of a box grater
• Scallions, chopped, for garnish

Preheat your oven to 375 F. If your rice isn't cooked yet, cook it according to package instructions and let cool spread out on a baking sheet for about 15 minutes. Slice the pressed block of tofu into 8 equal rectangles. Spray a baking sheet with some cooking spray and lay the tofu rectangles on it. Brush soy sauce onto both sides of the tofu. Bake for 20 minutes; spray the tofu with a little more cooking spray, flip, and bake 10 more minutes. For extra chewiness, put the tofu under the broiler for 3 minutes at the end.

Meanwhile, heat the sesame oil in a large saucepan or wok over medium heat. Cook the shallot, garlic, and ginger about 2 minutes. Add the zucchini and carrot and cook another 2-3 minutes. Add the rice and drizzle with about 1 and 1/2 tablespoons of soy sauce. Mix thoroughly and cook until heated through, about 2 more minutes. Serve with the baked tofu and garnished with the scallions.