Day 1: Dinner

So let me gloat a little bit: I have successfully cooked tofu!!! It wasn't that difficult, either. It just had to be drained properly. I used extra firm tofu, which didn't have as much moisture as the standard kind, and I followed some directions I found on the internet: Lay the tofu on a cutting board, on top of about four layers of paper towels. Lay about four more on top. Then take a second cutting board, lay on top of that, and press firmly. This will remove the majority of the excess moisture. Then discard and replace the wet paper towels, and this time set a few canned goods on the top cutting board. Leave for at least twenty minutes (I let it drain for an hour). It will be perfectly drained, and ready to cook.

Tonight I made a stir-fry with tofu, asparagus, and bok choy cabbage, with coconut curried rice on the side. The stir-fry was very good; the rice was a little too spicy for my taste.

Asparagus is one vegetable that only the mature palate can appreciate. Before my eighteenth birthday I ate it exactly once, and it was canned. Due to my reaction, it was never served to me again. But now I love it, especially pan-fried with a little lemon juice and olive oil. Bok choy is among the most flavorful and nutritious cabbages. I'd probably eaten it at an Asian restaurant before, but this was my first time cooking it.

Here's the stir-fry recipe:

• 1 tbsp. toasted sesame oil
• 1 clove garlic, sliced
• 1 piece (1/2") fresh ginger, cut into matchsticks
• 2 tbsp. soy sauce
• 10 asparagus spears, cut into 2" pieces and with woody stems cut off
• 4 cups chopped bok choy
• 7 ounces firm tofu, drained and cut into pieces
• 2 tbsp. water

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet.

2. Saute the garlic and ginger for about 30 seconds. Do not allow it to burn.

3. Add soy sauce, asparagus, bok choy, and tofu. Add the water and allow it to steam for 5 minutes. This will lightly steam the ingredients.

4. Serve hot.

My advice concerning this recipe: Use a large pot rather than a skillet, and let it steam covered for about 10 minutes. When the cabbage wilts you'll know it's done. You might also need to add a little more soy sauce. 

This is a very good recipe, and I can imagine it would be a good dish to serve to die-hard meat eaters as well.