ONLINE EXTRA — VEGETARIAN STIR-FRY: Low-Fat Chinese Vegetable Stir-Fry . . . Tofu and Vegetable Stir-Fry with Chili and Mint, etc.

Low-Fat Chinese Vegetable Stir-Fry

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 slice ginger, minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

¼ cup water

¼ cup soy sauce

1 cup broccoli, chopped

½ cup sliced water chestnuts (optional)

1/3 cup bamboo shoots

½ cup bean sprouts

½ cup sliced mushrooms

1 cup snow peas

Heat the oil in a large skillet, wok or frying pan. Saute the ginger and garlic for 2 to 3 minutes.

Carefully add the water, soy sauce and broccoli. Stir-fry for 5 to 7 minutes, then add the remaining ingredients.

Stir-fry for another 5 minutes, until vegetables are cooked. Serve over rice if desired

Thai Style Stir-Fry with Lime and Lemongrass

3 tablespoons peanut or sesame oil

½ block tofu, cut into small cubes

¾ cup green beans, sliced

¾ cup carrots, thinly sliced

1 cup broccoli, chopped

1 red bell pepper, sliced

1 green bell pepper, sliced

2 green chilies, minced

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 stems lemongrass, sliced thin

2 tablespoons lime juice

Dash salt, to taste

Preparation:

Saute the tofu in oil until lightly golden, about 5 minutes. Add the vegetables and stir-fry for a few more minutes, until veggies are cooked.

Add the remaining ingredients and cook for another minute or two. Serve over rice if desired.

Tofu and Vegetable Stir-Fry with Chili and Mint

1 tablespoon olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 block firm or extra firm tofu, well pressed

1 red bell pepper, sliced

½ onion, diced

1 zucchini, chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

2 teaspoons sugar

½ teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced or grated

1 jalapeno, minced (or to taste)

1 ½ cups packed mint leaves

2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

Precooked rice

Saute the garlic, tofu, pepper and onion for about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the zucchini, and continue to cook until the veggies are soft and the tofu is golden brown. Add a dash of salt and pepper.

Remove from heat.

Place the remaining ingredients, except the rice, into a food processor or blender, and process until mint is finely minced.

Add this sauce to the tofu and veggies and reheat, just until hot. Add the rice and stir thoroughly, or serve your vegetable stir-fry over rice.

Vegetarian Stir-Fry

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 onion, peeled and sliced

1 clove garlic, crushed

1 red pepper, sliced

1 yellow pepper, sliced

4 ounces broccoli florets

6 ounces baby sweet corn, halved

2 courgettes, sliced

2 tablespoons light soy sauce

2 tablespoons light vegetable stock

2-inch piece fresh root ginger, grated and juice squeezed out

2 ounces cashew nuts, lightly toasted

Heat the oil in a wok and fry the onion and garlic for 3 minutes. Add the peppers and fry for 3 minutes more.

Add the broccoli florets, sweet corn and courgettes and continue to fry for a further 5 minutes.

In a small bowl, mix together the soy sauce, light stock and ginger juice.

Using a wooden spoon, make a space in the center of the stir-fried vegetables so that the base of the wok is visible. Pour in the sauce and bring to the boil, stirring all the time until it starts to thicken. Toss the vegetables to coat thoroughly with the sauce.

Transfer to a serving dish and sprinkle with the cashew nuts.

Approximate nutritional analysis per servings: 173 calories, 9.7 grams fat, no cholesterol, 341. 5 grams sodium, 11.5 grams carbohydrates, 2.5 grams dietary fiber, 6.7 grams protein.

Thai Curried Vegetarian Stir-Fry

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

2 tablespoons soy sauce

14 ounces coconut milk, divided in two

3 ounces portabella mushroom caps, sliced

8.4 ounces super firm tofu, drained and cubed

1 tablespoon

½ tablespoon garlic powder

½ tablespoon ground ginger

½ tablespoon onion powder

8 ounces sliced water chestnuts, drained

16 ounces bagged Japanese stir-fry vegetables, frozen

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 ounce water

In a bowl or zip-top bag, toss together vegetable oil, soy sauce, half of coconut milk, tofu, portabellas, and all spices

Seal container and refrigerate over night to marinate.

On the next day, mix cornstarch and water in a small bowl to form a slurry, set aside. Quickly spray pan or wok, heated to medium high.

Add marinated ingredients to pan and stir constantly until tofu and portabellas are seared on all sides, about five minutes.

Add vegetables and water chestnuts to pan, continue stirring until all remaining ingredients are heated through, about three minutes.

Keeping everything in the pan, add remaining coconut milk, letting it come to a simmer.

Stir in cornstarch slurry. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer.

Portion and serve.

Yield: Serves 6.

Caribbean-Style Vegetarian Stir-Fry

2 onions

2 peppers (1 red, 1 green)

1 cup peas and sweet corn (mixed)

Stir-fry mix (fresh or frozen)

3 ounces mushrooms

1 to 1½ dessert spoons oil

2 teaspoons jerk paste (adjust quantity to taste)

1 cup vegetable stock or ½ glass white wine

Clean and chop onions and peppers.

Heat oil in a wok, add vegetables and fry for one minute.

Add other ingredients and fry for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring briskly.

Add vegetable stock or white wine, stir in jerk paste and simmer for 1 to 2 minutes.

Serve immediately.

Vegetarian Szechuan Eggplant Stir-Fry

3 tablespoons Spicy Szechuan Sauce

6 ounces eggplant

½ teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 teaspoon garlic, crushed

2 tablespoons vegetable oil for cooking

2 cups vegetable oil for frying

Cut eggplant into sticks, ½-by-½-by-2 inches long.

Sprinkle salt on eggplant and let sit for 30 minutes to draw out moisture then rinse well in cold water to remove salt and pat dry.

Coat eggplant with cornstarch and set aside.

In a deep pan add in about 2 inches of oil and heat oil to about 370 degrees.

Carefully put in half of the eggplant and fry until softened, 1 to 2 minutes.

Remove and drain on paper towel. Finish the second half of the eggplant.

Add oil to hot saute pan then eggplant and garlic saute 30 seconds.

Add Spicy Szechuan Sauce toss gently and remove.

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