A few days ago, Marla and I were strolling around downtown Boquete shopping. When it comes to “gourmet” groceries, it is catch as catch can! If and when something interesting is seen on the store shelf, one had better buy it. For example, about a week ago I spotted a bottle of Wright’s Liquid Smoke in my favorite grocery. Have you ever used, or perhaps seen, Wright’s in your food store? Even in the U.S., the choice is normally limited to Colgen’s. I bought the bottle and if you have never tried Wright’s which is vastly superior, you will be rewarded for acquiring some, too.
Anyway, as we walked, we popped into Super Baru Deli, named after the highest mountain in Panama, Volcan Baru. This little place, maybe 700 square feet, is packed floor to ceiling with foodstuffs and a number of hard to find items. Amazingly, Marla spotted fresh tofu! According to the rule “See it, buy it” we brought home a couple of the small packs.
For the record, I love to make Chinese food. It usually requires a good bit of preparation and knife work, which I find relaxing. Also, it brings a whole different set of flavors to the table. Having tofu in the fridge motivated me to put together a one dish stir fry of vegetables,tofu and rice.
You will notice that I did not use a wok for this dish. Well, I would have if I had one! When we packed for the move to Panama, I left my old, well-worn one behind thinking that acquiring a new authentic one here would be easy. After all, there is a large Chinese population here due to their involvement in the building of the Canal years ago. And, many of the stores and markets are Chinese owned. Even so, no woks for sale so far. This illustrates a fact, though. One doesn’t need a wok to cook fabulous Chinese food. For this recipe, I used a saute pan for the veggies and a large cast iron skillet to fry the rice and for final assembly. So, no excuses. Let’s make some Chinese food!
- ¾ Cup White Rice
- 2 Large Eggs Well Beaten with 1 Tablespoon White Wine and a little Salt and Pepper
- 8 or More Ounces of Firm Tofu, Cut into Chunks; Marinate in a Bowl for 10 Minutes with the Next 3 Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
- 2 Tablespoon Sesame Oil
- 2 Twists of the Black Pepper Grinder
- 1 Clove Garlic Finely Minced
- 1½ Teaspoon Finely Minced or Grated Fresh Ginger Root
- 1 Tablespoon Canola or Peanut Oil
- 1 Medium Zucchini Cut into Large Matchstick Shaped Pieces
- 1 Medium Carrot Cut into Large Matchstick Shaped Pieces
- ½ Medium Yellow Onion Chopped Coarsely
- ½ Medium Red Bell Pepper Cut into Thin Strips
- 1 Can Sliced Water Chestnuts, Drained
- 1 Teaspoon Finely Minced or Grated Fresh Ginger Root
- 1 Clove Garlic Finely Minced
- ¼ Cup Shelled Peanuts
- 2 Tablespoons Canola or Peanut Oil
- ⅔ Cup Green Peas (I used Frozen; No need to Cook First)
- ⅓ Cup Water or Chicken Broth
- 3 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
- ¼ Teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes (More or Less Depending on You)
- 1 Teaspoon Corn Starch
- 3 Green Onions Cut Diagonally into ¾" Long Pieces for Garnish (Optional)
- Salt to Taste
- Prepare the rice first by following the package instructions. Fluff with a fork, cover and place in your refrigerator to chill. You can do this the day before if you have time and think of it. Chilled rice will be drier and less sticky ... great for stir fry.
- Marinate the tofu.
- Put 1 clove minced garlic and 1½ teaspoon minced ginger in a bowl or small cup and set aside.
- Stir the water or chicken broth, red pepper flakes and corn starch together in a small bowl with 3 tablespoons soy sauce; set aside.
- In your wok or a saute pan, scramble the eggs in 1 tablespoon oil and cut into pea-sized pieces with a spatula or large spoon while they cook. When done, remove to a small bowl and set aside. Wipe the pan clean with a paper towel.
- In your wok or a saute pan, add 1 tablespoon oil and heat over high heat. When the oil is very hot, add the tofu, all of its marinade and the ginger/garlic mixture and stir fry for 2 minutes; remove to a bowl.
- Add 2 tablespoons of oil to the wok or saute pan and heat over high heat until the oil is hot. Toss in the carrots and onions and stir fry for 2 minutes. Then add all of the remaining vegetables, including remaining garlic and ginger, the peanuts and water chestnuts -- except for the green peas and green onions; stir fry for about 2 minutes or until the peppers are tender crisp.
- Add the green peas and clear out an empty space in the center of the pan by pushing the veggies aside. Pour the soy and corn starch mixture into this space and stir while it comes to a boil and thickens. Combine the vegetables in the pan with this sauce; remove from heat.
- If using a wok, remove cooked veggies to a bowl. Otherwise, grab a heavy skillet and place it, or your wok, over high heat; add two tablespoons oil. When the oil is hot, add the chilled rice and stir fry until hot; correct for salt. Add the tofu, eggs and vegetables to the rice and toss over high heat to insure everything is hot.
- Sprinkle on the green onion if using. Pass your favorite Chinese hot sauce!
Notes: 1.) Chunks of fresh ginger are no fun to eat. They are hot and the flavor overpowering. Therefore, be sure to use grated or very finely minced ginger in recipes. 2.) Yes, there are a number of ingredients. Though it may look otherwise, this recipe is not hard and you can do it! I suggest you enjoy a nice glass of wine or some cold beer to smooth the preparation process.
Everything prepared and ready to go! No, wait. Where are the beaten eggs?!
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