You are going to prepare all of your ingredients ahead of time as you will not have time to cut or mix once the stir-fry process begins.  This is a quick-cooking method and the majority of the work is done before you even start cooking.

I use a wok in the video of this recipe but you can use a regular pan as well.  Notice in the video how I don’t crowd the wok with too much food. A crowded wok or pan will result in overdone, mushy, and inconsistently cooked vegetables. So avoid it. 

Ingredients

• 4 Bok Choy Heads, medium-sized, root end removed and stalks sliced

• 1 cup Shiitake Mushrooms, stems removed and sliced if they are large

• 1 – 16 oz Container of Firm Tofu, cut into 1-inch size cubes

• 2 to 4 Small Dried Red Chili Peppers, stems and seeds removed, soaked in hot water for 15 minutes to soften, and then sliced

• 3 to 4 Cloves of Garlic, minced

• 2 tbsp fresh Ginger, minced

• ½ cup Green Scallion, sliced diagonally as garnish

• Sauce

• 1 tsp Arrow Root or Corn Starch

• 1 tsp Sugar

• 1 tsp Salt

• 4 tbsp Water

• 2 tbsp Soy Sauce

• 1 tbsp Shaoxing Wine or Dry Sherry as a Substitute

Directions

• 1) Cut all vegetables in consistent sizes and have them in bowls ready for cooking.

• 2) Combine all ingredients of the sauce together and whisk to fully dissolve the arrowroot or corn starch and set aside.

• 3) Saute the tofu in a tablespoon of oil to get a sear on at least one side and then set that aside to be incorporated near the end of the stir fry.

• 4) Once the tofu is done, heat up a tablespoon of oil on medium to high heat and add in the aromatics (garlic and ginger), but be careful not to burn them. You can control the heat in this step by pulling the pan back away from the source. Stir fry for only a few seconds.

• 5) Add in the red chili peppers and toss to incorporate.

• 6) Add in Bok Choy stems and toss to incorporate.

• 7) Add in mushrooms.

• 8) Add the Bok Choy leaves and toss to incorporate.

• 9) Once they begin to wilt (this happens quickly) add your tofu back in and incorporate.

• 10) Now add the sauce by swirling it around the vegetables onto the walls of the wok so it evaporates quickly and does not pool in the center of the pan. Pooling liquid tends to braise and can make for a mushy result, which you don’t want.

• 11) Get all the ingredients well coated with the sauce and immediately remove from the pan toss in scallions as garnish and serve.