Thai Stir-Fry
A recipe from Dr. Weiwen Chai, director of the Master of Science Degree Program in Nutrition and Human Performance.
Ingredients:
2 cups of tofu (soft or firm)
2 bell peppers (1 red, 1 yellow or orange), chopped into bite-size pieces
2 cup of chopped broccoli
3 tomatoes, chopped into bite-size
½ cup of chopped cilantro
Handful of fresh basil
Sauce:
2 Tbsp. olive oil for stir-frying
1 fresh red chili, or 1 tsp. chili sauce (add more or less according to your preference)
2 Tbsp. fish sauce (available in Asian/Chinese food stores)
2 Tbsp. lime or lemon juice (or ½ fresh lemon or lime)
3 Tbsp low sodium soy sauce
1 tsp brown sugar
Preparation
-
First, make the sauce by placing all sauce ingredients in a food processor and mix. Set aside.
- Place 2 Tbsp. oil in a wok or large frying pan and set over medium-high heat.
- Add all the ingredients, and stir-fry 6-8 minutes, or until pieces of bell peppers and broccoli have softened slightly and are bright in color.
- Turn heat down to minimum. Now add the sauce, stirring well to incorporate. Tip: Try not to fry or over-heat this sauce, or you'll lose all the great flavor and health benefits.
- Do a taste-test for salt and spice, adding more fish sauce or chili.
- Tilt onto a serving dish, or portion out onto individual plates. Add a generous topping of basil and enjoy!
Health Benefits
This is a good vegetarian dish. Tofu provides calcium and protein. Fresh tomato and bell pepper are high in carotenoids and other antioxidants which are linked to lower risk of cancer. Broccoli is cruciferous vegetable, which is also associated with lower risk of cancer. Olive oil contains a high amount of mono-saturated fatty acids, which are beneficial to heart diseases.