Smashed Tofu and Green Bean Stir-fry

QUICK DISH / VEGAN / GLUTEN-FREE
April 19th, 2021

How do the three unlikely companions, smashed tofu, frozen green beans and ground cumin, make an instant and smashingly good stir fry?

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Tofu: Use fresh tofu. Silky, soft and semi-firm tofu all taste tender and are pretty easy to smash up, so they all work well for this recipe.   

Ground Cumin Seeds: Ground cumin is said to help neutralise the toxins in raw green beans. It also gives this dish a lovely kick!

Frozen beans: Choose thinly sliced frozen baby beans. This is the type that is easiest to cook through during stir frying. It is best practice to cook beans (not just green beans) thoroughly to get rid of toxins and anti-nutrients, and to improve flavor. Try a piece of bean during cooking; if there is no sharp taste and the beans are soft with a mellow flavor, they are cooked. By the way, this is one of the very few dishes I love to over-cook a bit just to be on the safe side (I am one of the rare few who are susceptible to prussic acid found in raw green beans)! 

SMASHED TOFU AND GREEN BEAN STIR-FRY

(豆腐炒豆角）

VEGAN / GLUTEN-FREE

MAKE 2 servings PREP: 1 min COOKING: 5-6 min

Ingredients

• 400g frozen sliced green beans *
• 300g fresh tofu, soft or semi-firm
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 3 cloves of fresh garlic, crushed
• 1/2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp cooking oil

Method

1. Heat a large wok or pan, add the oil and sauté the garlic and cumin for 10 seconds. Add the beans, toss a few times to mix with the garlic and cumin. Add the soy sauce and toss until the beans are completely thawed, about 1 minute.
2. Add the tofu, smash it with a spatula while tossing and mixing with the beans until the beans are cooked through (the beans have an even color, soft and completely free from the sharp taste of raw beans), about 4 to 5 minutes.

Recipe Notes

1. You can use either fresh or frozen green beans for this recipes. Cook the beans thoroughly if you are not sure whether you are sensitive to lectins and prussic acid in raw beans.