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Broccolini & Tofu Stir-Fry

Name: Broccolini & Tofu Stir-Fry
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 450 gram (1 lb) firm/extra-firm tofu; 4 cloves garlic, minced; 2-3 chilies, thinly sliced; 450 gram (1 lb) broccolini, chop into bite-size pieces; 1/4 cup water; cornstarch slurry (1 tablespoon cornstarch + 2 tablespoon water); 2 scallions, thinly sliced; 1 tablespoon light soy sauce; 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce; 1 tablespoon oyster sauce; 1 tablespoon fish sauce; 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine; 1 teaspoon sugar; 1/2 teaspoon white pepper

Last updated: Jan 4, 2021 — Published: Jan 4, 2021 — By: Anita — 11 comments

A quick Chinese stir-fry dish with broccolini and tofu. You can use gai lan, or other Chinese greens in place of broccolini. And you can replace tofu with mushroom.

A Chinese greens dish always makes an appearance on my family dining table, so having a few trusted recipes is a no brainer.

My favorite Chinese greens recipe is a vegetable stir-fry with oyster sauce and garlic oil, followed closely with a vegetable and tofu stir-fry.

Both recipes are versatile. You can use any Chinese greens, so be sure to select the freshest option from your market. You will be able to serve healthy Chinese stir-fry dishes to your family with these two recipes.

Ingredients for broccolini and tofu stir-fry

We will need broccolini, tofu, garlic, chilies, scallions, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, fish sauce, Shaoxing wine, sugar, white pepper, and cornstarch.

Broccolini vs. broccoli

Some grocery stores sell broccolini as young broccoli, but broccolini is a cross between broccoli and Chinese gai lan. I love that they are so much more tender than broccoli and is very suitable for Chinese stir-fry.

If you can’t find broccolini, you can substitute with broccoli, but I think Chinese gai lan is a better substitute for this dish.

(1) Sauté garlic and chilies. (2) Add brocolini and water. (3) Add fried tofu, and season with light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, fish sauce, Shaoxing wine, sugar, and white pepper. (4) Thicken the sauce with cornstarch.

Step-by-step to cook broccolini and tofu stir-fry

1 Fry tofu

Drain and pat dry tofu and cut into 16-20 pieces. Pan-fry the tofu with a little oil on a non-stick frying pan (or a well-seasoned cast-iron skillet) until golden brown and set aside.

2. Sauté aromatics

Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a wok over medium-high heat. Sauté garlic and chilies until fragrant, about 2 minutes.

3. Add broccolini

Add broccolini and 1/4 cup of water. Mix well, cover the wok, and let the broccolini rests for 2 minutes, or until wilted.

4. Add tofu and sauce

Add fried tofu and all the sauce ingredients, mix well, and cook for 2 minutes.

5. Thicken the sauce

Add cornstarch slurry and stir until the sauce is thick.

6. Add scallions

Toss in scallions and mix gently. Turn off the heat, transfer to a serving plate, and serve the dish immediately.