Tofu Chickpea Stir Fry with Tahini Sauce

Tofu Chickpea Stir Fry with Tahini Sauce

Tofu is one of the oldest foods in the world. Originally created in China during the Han dynasty in 179 B.C., tofu then moved its way through the rest of Asia as China’s sphere of influence grew in the region. The word itself comes from the Chinese word, doufu, which literally means curdled bean.

So how do you even make tofu? It’s made by solidifying soy milk and pressing out the curds, the curds are then used to make the tofu. It’s slightly more complicated than that, but that’s the simplified version of it, because I know everyone doesn’t have tofu production on their list of things to learn about today.

Tofu is very popular in Asia and it’s a cheap alternative to meat, as it provides a good source of protein and other nutrients. Ben Franklin called tofu, “Chinese Cheese” and it sort of looks that way so I don’t blame old Benny boy for calling it that.

The food itself has often been the source of derisive comments from folks in the states over the years, just mention “tofurkey” to anyone and be prepared for a face of mild disgust and disdain. But tofu really isn’t bad, it’s a versatile protein option that can be used to take up the flavors of the sauces you cook it with.

I came a cross a recipe from the Kitchn that uses a mix of Asian and Middle Eastern flavors to really deliver a delicious dish. This tofu chickpea stir fry balances really well with the tahini sauce. I make this for the Mrs. for her lunch quite a bit and she is always surprised by how tasty it is. Here is the recipe from the Kitchn, I slightly changed it but you can follow theirs also.

  Tofu Chickpea Stir Fry with Tahini Sauce

1/8 cup water
1/4 cup tahini
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons honey

1 tablespoon peanut oil
1 cup Canned Chickpeas, drain the water (you can use dry chickpeas too, probably don’t need a cup of them though)
1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced (optional)
1 red or orange bell pepper, diced
8 ounces baked extra firm tofu, cut into squares.

Method

First prepare the tofu,make sure you drain the water out of your tofu. Then use a piece of parchment paper to press any more excess water out of the tofu. You don’t want too much water left in the tofu.

You can cut it into any size square you want. For me it’s a little more satisfying and easier to handle when the tofu pieces are slightly bigger than a regular cube.

Place them on a baking sheet, and brush them with some peanut or olive oil on both sides. Then bake in the oven for about a half hour on 350F  until the tofu turns golden brown on both sides.

While the tofu is cooking prepare your tahini sauce. Add the water, tahini, honey, rice wine vinegar, and soy sauce together. Stir together until it has a nice consistency and everything has mixed evenly. You can play around with some of the flavors here, I like it slightly more sweet, but you can scale back the honey if you prefer a more sesame seed flavor.

Once your tofu is cooked and your sauce is ready, heat up a tablespoon of peanut oil in a wok. Toss in your chickpeas and cook for about 2 minutes, then add your peppers and onions. Be sure here not to overcook your peppers, but you also want to have the onions cooked enough so that kick of the onion is gone too.

Then add your tofu, be sure not to over stir with your tofu. It’s delicate, so it can break apart if you’re not careful. Cook for about 3 minutes.

Finally add your sauce and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, you want to cook it long enough that the vinegar can reduce slightly so it doesn’t overpower the whole dish.

Serve over some quinoa and enjoy!