Tofu Asparagus Stir Fry Recipe

This tofu dish usually accommodates everyone in my family; the tofu is fried, then sautéed along with vegetables (I cooked with asparagus and green beans today) in a mixture of black bean and chili garlic sauce.

The story behind this dish is funny. The dish is named after my father-in-law, Mir. Several years ago, he went to a Chinese restaurant for a dinner meeting and they serve this as an appetizer, similar to chips and salsa in a Mexican restaurant. It was much saltier and spicier than the recipe I make now. He liked it so much he asked the waiter to bring him a whole plateful so he could have it for dinner as a main course. And thus Mir's Special was born.

Vegetable Honey Tofu Stir-Fry Recipe

While in Paris, my mother taught me a new trick for enhancing the flavor of vegetarian meals. She uses honey to caramelize tofu, then deglazes the dish with Maggi (or soy sauce). My parents aren't vegetarian but my mother used to cook a lot of vegetarian dishes for my grandparents who were. My husband Lulu was pleased to eat at my mom's because he got to discover new tofu dishes using these techniques. For this particular recipe, Mom and I sautéed some broccoli and bok choy along with tofu. Delicious!

Since I had to find the best honey available for this dish, it gave me another excuse to explore more Parisian open air markets. I found this wonderful creamy honey from a beekeeper who had come from the south of France to sell his wares. He was very passionate about his products. Lulu and I sampled several kinds, which were all fabulous. We got an absolutely delicious education in honey and brought many jars back with us.