More Seoul Adventures & A Deliciously Healthy Veggie Stir-Fry with Tofu!
Okay, my wonderful foodie friends, Annyeong again from vibrant Seoul! Hi guys, I'm still in my apartment here in Korea (can you believe it's already June 16th?), and after a bit more exploring, I'm so excited because I feel like showing you more photos of this incredible city! The energy, the culture, the food – it’s all just so inspiring, and I love sharing these little glimpses with you.
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Perfectly Cooked Tofu: Pressing and then pan-frying the tofu cubes gives them a wonderfully firm, slightly crispy exterior and a tender interior.A Rainbow of Crisp-Tender Veggies: We’re loading this up with colorful bell peppers, broccoli, snap peas, carrots, and red onion for maximum flavor, crunch, and nutrients.The Simple Savory Sauce: A quick blend of soy sauce, hoisin, rice vinegar, and sesame oil creates a perfectly balanced and delicious coating for everything.Quick & Versatile: This dish comes together in about 30 minutes and is incredibly easy to adapt to your favorite vegetables or sauce variations.Healthy & Satisfying: Packed with plant-based protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals – a truly feel-good meal!
A Flavorful & Healthy Weeknight Dinner: When you want something delicious that’s also good for you.Meatless Mondays (or any day!): A fantastic and satisfying plant-based meal.Using Up Your Farmers Market Haul or Leftover Veggies. A Lighter Meal That Still Packs a Flavor Punch. Impressing Yourself with Your Healthy Wok Skills!
Prep & Press Tofu: Get that excess water out for crispier results!Cook Tofu to Golden Perfection: Pan-fry those cubes until they’re beautifully browned.Stir-Fry the Aromatics & Veggies: Garlic, ginger, then all those colorful vegetables until crisp-tender.Whip Up the Sauce: Whisk together those savory, tangy, and sweet sauce components.Combine, Sauce & Serve! Add the tofu back in, pour over the sauce, toss, and serve hot!
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1 (14 oz) block firm or extra-firm tofu, pressed for at least 10 minutes and cubed into 1-inch pieces 2 tablespoons vegetable oil (or other neutral high-heat oil), divided 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced 1 yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced (or use any color combination) 1 cup broccoli florets, bite-sized 1 cup snap peas, trimmed 1 medium carrot, peeled and thinly sliced (julienned or rounds) 1 small red onion, thinly sliced 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced or grated For the Stir-Fry Sauce: 3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce (or tamari for gluten-free) 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce 1 tablespoon rice vinegar 1 teaspoon sesame oil 1 teaspoon cornstarch (optional, for a thicker sauce) 2 tablespoons water (only if using cornstarch)
For Serving (Optional): Cooked rice (jasmine, brown) or noodles (soba, udon) Toasted sesame seeds Thinly sliced green onions
Prepare the Tofu: If you haven't already, press the tofu: Wrap the block of tofu in a few layers of paper towels or a clean kitchen towel. Place something heavy on top (like a few cookbooks or a cast iron skillet) and let it press for at least 10 minutes (up to 30 minutes) to remove excess moisture. This helps it get crispier. Once pressed, cut the tofu into 1-inch cubes.
Cook the Tofu: Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot and shimmering, carefully add the tofu cubes in a single layer (work in batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding). Cook for about 6–8 minutes, turning the cubes occasionally, until they are golden brown and slightly crispy on all sides. Remove the cooked tofu from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside on a plate.
Stir-Fry the Vegetables: In the same skillet or wok, add the remaining 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil if the pan looks dry (you might not need it all). Heat over medium-high heat. Add the minced garlic and minced/grated ginger. Sauté for about 30 seconds, until fragrant (be careful not to burn them). Add the sliced red onion and cook for 1-2 minutes until slightly softened. Add the sliced bell peppers, broccoli florets, snap peas, and sliced carrot to the skillet. Stir-fry for 4–5 minutes, tossing frequently, until the vegetables are crisp-tender (they should still have a bit of a bite and retain their vibrant color).
Make the Sauce: While the vegetables are cooking, prepare the sauce. In a small bowl, whisk together the low-sodium soy sauce, hoisin sauce, rice vinegar, and sesame oil. If you prefer a thicker sauce: In a separate tiny bowl, dissolve the 1 teaspoon of cornstarch in 2 tablespoons of cold water to make a smooth slurry. Whisk this slurry into the soy sauce mixture.
Combine and Finish: Return the cooked tofu cubes to the skillet with the stir-fried vegetables. Pour the prepared sauce over everything. Toss gently to coat the tofu and vegetables evenly with the sauce. Cook for another 1–2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the sauce has thickened slightly (if using cornstarch) and everything is heated through and nicely glazed.
Serve: Serve the Veggie Stir-Fry with Tofu hot. It’s delicious on its own or served over a bed of cooked rice or your favorite noodles. Garnish with a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds and thinly sliced green onions, if desired.
Large Skillet or Wok Tofu Press (optional) or Heavy Objects & Paper Towels/Kitchen Towel Cutting Board & Sharp Knife Small Bowl (for sauce) Whisk Spatula or Wok Utensils Measuring Cups & Spoons
Press Your Tofu! Don't skip this step. Removing excess water is key to getting tofu that can crisp up nicely and absorb more flavor from the sauce.Hot Pan, Don't Overcrowd: For both the tofu and the veggies, make sure your pan is sufficiently hot before adding them, and cook in batches if necessary. This promotes browning and crisp-tendering rather than steaming.Prep All Ingredients First (Mise en Place): Stir-frying happens quickly! Have all your tofu cubed, veggies chopped, and sauce mixed before you start cooking.Veggie Variations: This recipe is a fantastic base! Feel free to swap in your favorite veggies or use whatever you have on hand – mushrooms, zucchini, baby corn, bok choy, or edamame would all work wonderfully. Adjust cooking times as needed.Make it Spicy: Add a dash of sriracha, gochujang (for a Korean twist!), or a pinch of red pepper flakes to the sauce if you like some heat.Extra Flavor Boost: For even more flavor, try marinating the pressed tofu cubes in a little soy sauce, sesame oil, and garlic powder for about 15-20 minutes before pan-frying.
Over Rice: Fluffy jasmine rice or nutritious brown rice are perfect.With Noodles: Try soba, udon, ramen, or even rice noodles.Add a Sprinkle of Nuts: Toasted cashews or peanuts would add a lovely crunch.A Squeeze of Lime: For an extra burst of freshness at the end.
Calories: 240 kcal (Around 12% of a 2000-calorie daily intake – a wonderfully light yet satisfying meal!)Protein: 13g (A good 25% of your daily needs from plant-based tofu and veggies!)Total Fat: 13g (16% DV – mostly healthy fats from oils and tofu)Saturated Fat: 2g (9% DV – very reasonable!)
Total Carbohydrate: 21g (8% DV)Dietary Fiber: 4g (15% DV – great contribution from all those veggies!)Total Sugars: 6gIncludes 0g Added Sugars (0% DV)(A little note here, friends: the nutrition panel says "0g Added Sugars," which is fantastic! However, keep in mind that ingredients like hoisin sauce often do contain some added sugars. This "0g" might be how the analysis tool categorizes things based on the primary ingredients, or a very specific brand was used for its calculation. Just something to be aware of if you're closely tracking added sugars from all sources! The 6g Total Sugars is a great low number overall.)
Cholesterol: 0mg (0% DV – beautifully plant-based!)Sodium: 524mg (23% DV – using low-sodium soy sauce helps manage this. Hoisin sauce also contributes.)
Vitamin C: 131mg (An outstanding 146% DV! Bell peppers and broccoli are Vitamin C champions!)Vitamin A: 3948µg (A massive 439% DV! Carrots and bell peppers are working hard here!)(The original Quickview panel image shows "IU" for Vitamin A, while the text below it shows "µg." This value reflects the µg from the text; 3948 IU would be a different µg RAE value, but I'm following the provided text data.) Vitamin K: 46µg (38% DV – broccoli and other green veggies contribute!)Vitamin B6: 0.313mg (18% DV)Folate: 61µg (15% DV)Iron: 2mg (14% DV)Manganese: 0.328mg (14% DV)Calcium: 170mg (13% DV – tofu can be a good source, especially if calcium-set!)Copper: 0.108mg (12% DV)Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin): 0.138mg (11% DV)Vitamin E: 1mg (10% DV)Vitamin B1 (Thiamin): 0.105mg (9% DV)Vitamin B3 (Niacin): 1mg (8% DV)Magnesium: 33mg (8% DV)Potassium: 396mg (8% DV)Phosphorus: 81mg (7% DV)Zinc: 0.5mg (5% DV)Selenium: 1.5µg (3% DV)
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