Stir-fried pressed tofu with peppers and black beans is an extremely simple and delicious Chinese dish. It happens to be vegan, but also protein-packed and flavorful!
A Restaurant-Inspired Recipe
I had this dish at a vegetarian restaurant in Shenzhen. It was super tasty, but I still made a couple small adjustments to my own version. In this recipe, I added garlic and more black beans. I used long hot peppers, as I like spicy food, but you can substitute any pepper you like, including mild sweet peppers. The result is super savory, a little bit spicy, and texturally satisfying!
If you’ve never heard of pressed tofu, it is basically a very firm, drier type of tofu that has had much of its moisture content pressed out. It is chewier than regular firm tofu, and stands up well to stir-frying.
It may also be labeled “spiced tofu,” because after pressing, it is often braised in a mixture of soy sauce and spices before another drying process.
If you can’t find pressed tofu (which would be in the refrigerated section of your local Asian market), you can make your own with our own pressed tofu recipe. Simply start with a block of firm tofu (available these days in many mainstream grocery stores), press it, braise it, and dry it in the oven. The process takes about a day, but there is very little active prep you have to do.
Other Recipe Variations
Some version of a spiced tofu stir-fry has shown up on the Leung family dinner table for decades. Sarah and Kaitlin grew up with it, and I have relied on this tasty protein for many meals over many years!
This version is very basic, but here are some other versions:
- Spiced Tofu with Shredded Pork
- Jen’s Tofu Stir-fry
- Spiced Tofu with Garlic Chives
- Vegetable Five Spice Tofu Stir-fry
- Vegetable Moo Shu
We hope that by trying this recipe, it opens you up to more spiced tofu dishes!
Recipe Instructions
Heat a wok over medium-high heat, and add the oil, garlic, and black beans. Stir-fry for 30 seconds. Then add the tofu strips, and stir-fry for another 2 minutes.
Now add the peppers, Shaoxing wine, light soy sauce, sesame oil, white pepper and sugar.
Stir-fry for a few minutes until everything is well combined. Add salt to taste, and serve.
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Recipe
Stir-fried Pressed Tofu with Peppers & Black Beans
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons neutral oil (such as vegetable, canola, or avocado oil)
- 2 cloves garlic (sliced)
- 2 tablespoons fermented black beans (rinsed)
- 8 ounces pressed/spiced tofu (cut into thin strips)
- 4 ounces long hot peppers (deseeded and sliced)
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
- ½ teaspoon sesame oil
- ¼ teaspoon white pepper
- ¼ teaspoon sugar
- Salt (to taste)
Instructions
- Heat a wok over medium-high heat, and add the oil, garlic, and black beans. Stir-fry for 30 seconds. Then add the tofu strips, and stir-fry for another 2 minutes.
- Now add the peppers, Shaoxing wine, light soy sauce, sesame oil, white pepper and sugar. Stir-fry for a few minutes until everything is well combined. Add salt to taste, and serve.
