Tofu Thursday: Mongolian Teef (Tofu)

I am not a vegetarian but cook a lot with  tofu. Tofu is a very cost-effective alternative to a main protein in a meal and taste great if you marinate it right. I have converted all haters, who feared its texture and flavor. This recipe is a spin on a Chinese Mongolian beef dish. I ate Mongolian beef  last week at a local restaurant and knew I had to recreate the dish.  Bonus points came when I went shopping this weekend and bell peppers were .49 cents and onions were bogo.  I buy my tofu at the local oriental market,  if is half the price of grocery stores, costing about $1.75 for a package which yields 2 meals.

Mongolian Teef

Marinade
onion powder
garlic powder
curry powder
pepper
ginger powder
3 tbl soy sauce
1/2 tbl liquid smoke
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

Pepper Sauce
1/3 c. soy sauce
1/3 c. cooking sherry
1 tbl. corstarch
1 tbl. miso
1 cup beef stock (I used 1 cup boiled water to 2 bouillon cubes)
1/4c. ketchup
2 tbl. sugar
1 tbl. teriyaki
1 tbl. sesame oil

Ingredients
1/4 c. flour (healthier version use wheat flour)
1/2 package of  extra firm tofu
1 green pepper chopped
1 whole onion chopped
1 clove garlic chopped
pepper to taste
salt to taste
1/8 tsp. curry
1/8 tsp. turmeric
2 c. cooked rice (healthier version use brown)
1 tbl. rice vinegar
green onion (for decoration)



Cut tofu in slices down short side of brick. Lay the piece flat in a single layer. sprinkle with first 5 ingredient flip and repeat then add the last 3. Cover, set aside. Tofu is best when marinaded for at least an hour. I worked late tonight so I marinaded mine the night before, the smoke flavor came out more prominent tonight; it was delicious!

Cook rice

Heat a wok or pan with 3 tbl. of oil. Dip marinaded tofu in flour and add to the oiled pan, ensure good covering, brown for a minute each side. Take off heat, discard oil, and put browned tofu on a paper towel to blot excess fat. Set aside.

Next make sauce, mix soy sauce and sherry with corn starch.  Wisk abruptly to dissolve corn starch. Add remaining ingredients and set on medium/medium high. Begin to chop veggies while sauce starts to simmer stir occasionally. Add all veggies to 1 tbl of oil and 1 tbl sesame oil.  cook on medium/medium high heat till onions are clear and peppers are soft. Check sauce, when it starts to boil, remove from heat.  Add veggies when done cooking and tofu to sauce.  shake around in pot to coat. 

When rice is done cooking add tbl. of rice vinegar. Stir. Remove heat.  Add Mongolian Teef mixture to rice. Add chopped green onions for decoration and flavor. Enjoy!!!!