Cumin Tofu Stir-Fry

I've made dishes like this, and I prefer roasting the marinated tofu on parchment at 400 degrees for about 25 minutes instead of frying. It's less messy and more consistent.

Thank you for listing ingredient substitutions right in the recipe! It's so refreshing to have that info right at hand, and to know that I don't have to go out and buy potato starch or shaoxing wine. I know it won't taste *exactly* the same but but I'm actually willing to try making it. Seems like a good trade off.

This recipe has the potential to be good, but as written it has some shortcomings. First, the ratio of cumin to cauliflower and tofu is way too high. I'm Indian and eat a lot of cumin and love it. I would halve the cumin. Second, it's added too late in the recipe. It was too raw/powdery/overwhelming. Now, I add it, right after I add the onions to the pan, sauté for a minute or two, then add cauliflower and a little bit of water, give it a good stir, and cover the pan.

I always dredge tofu in cornstarch when I stir-fry. The easier way to do it is to put the cornstarch in a ziplock bag, toss in the tofu, and shake it. (I also always sub mirin for Shaoxing wine. How many rice wines do I really need?)

And if you don't want to use/waste a plastic for tossing the tofu in cornstarch, just use a small paper bag if you have them hanging around. We use sooooo much plastic in this country.

Always freeze tofu to improve texture. When defrosted you just have to hand-press it on a plate & tip the liquid into the sink (no wet towels.) Repeat until most of the liquid is gone. Then the marinade will absorb completely; nothing to drain. Plastic bag for cornstarch tossing. Spices added with the onions. So delicious! Nothing but crumbs left on the plate but my dog licked it for 20 min!

This sounds delicious. Thank you for the vegan adaptation. Grateful to have recipes showing that tempting and flavorful dishes don't have to be unhealthily drenched in cream, butter, cheese, other fats, and meat--most of the world doesn't eat the way the U.S. does!

Here are some I did to make this dish perfect: 1. Add the spice mixture after the Chile,ginger,garlic, and onion have cooked for a minute. Cook the spices until fragrant, about 30 seconds. 2. Add the cauliflower and 2 tablespoons of water. Cover the pans/wok and let it steam for a minimum of 3 minutes over medium-high heat. The cauliflower should be crisp tender and maybe even slightly charred. Then add tofu and continue as listed. Notes: 1. I love cumin but I found this a bit much.

try with just a touch of crushed red pepper or cayenne instead of gochugaru (to taste). substitute a mild pepper for the jalapeno if you don't want any heat

Also, the cumin tastes raw when added at the last. Would suggest putting the spices in when cooking the veggies, then add back the fried tofu at the very end.

I made this with a fraction of the oil, cooked the tofu in one pan and the veg in another. I know it’s not the same, but good enough - and fast enough- for a delicious weight watcher lunch. And sub’d green beans for cauliflower. Definitely will do again

A few roasted cashews provide heft, texture, and flavor, and complement the tofu. Such a versatile recipe! To the cauliflower, I added a red bell pepper, a few baby broccoli heads, and some tiny yellow squash from the garden. Preferred cooking the onions alone until they began to caramelize, and then adding the garlic & ginger (used 2x what is called for), cauliflower, etc. A drizzle of toasted sesame oil replaced the seeds, and gochugaru paste, a bit like spicy hoisin, complemented as a dip.

Loved, loved loved this recipe. Tasted just like the cumin lamb we get at our favorite Chinese restaurant in town, and was so easy to replicate. Used bok choy, carrots, eggplant as veggies, skipped the chile. Next time would probably also cut red pepper flakes in half. Added water to the spice mix and put it in with the bok choy leaves at end of veggie cooking time and then threw the tofu back in at the very end to keep it crispy. Delicious.

Strange recipe. Way too little liquid--especially if serving with rice, as suggested. Also, adding spices after veggies and water are cooking is wrong. One needs to cook spices in oil to bring out their flavours and to avoid that chaulky taste. If you do make this, add spices after onion and stir well for a minute or two. I also added about a cup of stock to make some sauce to mix with rice.

This was great; two very minor modifications. I covered the tofu cubes top and bottom with clean towels and pressed them dry between two half-sheets for half an hour before marinating and I added a couple of sliced scallions to the sesame seeds and cilantro when I dressed it up at the end. Fantastic stuff. Just a great great recipe. Thank you.