Dinner for One

Our Hero went out of town this weekend to visit his brother, so I did what I always to when he is out of town - I buy lots of broccoli.

Don't get me wrong, Our Hero is not a picky eater. I hate picky eaters. Our hero loves spicy food. In fact, he loves almost all food; even tofu, properly prepared. However, one thing he doesn't fancy is broccoli. He'll tolerate it on occasion, but doesn't enjoy it like I do.

So this Saturday night was a wonderful opportunity to enjoy a simple stir-fry, a semi-trashy movie, and a cup of tea.

After much-needed theraputic phone conversations with two of my favorite women - my mom and A - I got some brown rice simmering and chopped up a broccoli crown and half a block of tofu.

A couple years back, I used a bottle of store-bought stir-fry sauce. After following some basic recipes, though, I discovered that homemade stir-fry sauces taste much better and are easily made in less time than it takes for the rice to cook. This recipe makes enough for one, with leftovers for tomorrow's lunch. The sauce recipe isn't scientific - just add what you like, tasting as you go. In fact, same goes for all stir-fries.

Tofu-Broccoli with Peanut Sauce

1 broccoli crown
1/2 block firm tofu, cubed
Canola oil
2-3 T. natural peanut butter
2 t.-1 T. fish sauce (or soy sauce, if you prefer)
2 t.-1 T. rice vinegar
1 t. fresh ginger, grated on a microplane or minced
1 clove garlic, grated on a microplane or minced

Hot water
2 T. chili-garlic sauce
Brown rice, for serving

To make sauce, combine peanut butter, fish sauce, vinegar, ginger, garlic, and chili-garlic sauce in a small bowl. Add hot water a little at a time and whisk until smooth. Add enough water to make a saucelike consistency. Heat oil in a skillet or wok over high heat. Add tofu and cook until golden. Add broccoli, saute until crisp-tender. Remove from heat, add sauce, and toss until coated. Serve with brown rice .