Stir-Fried Greens and Tofu

I tend to scale back my use of greens in cooking as the summer goes on, because there are so many other delicious vegetables available and I've been using greens for most of the year. But they are still plentiful in the farmers market--and still delicious. This recipe uses a bunch at once. I like this with tofu, but you can use chicken, tempeh, or another protein of your choice. Or just do the greens and serve as a side dish. If you like, substitute several chopped scapes for the garlic.

1 14-ounce package firm tofu
½ cup canola oil
1 Tbsp cornstarch
1-2 Tbsp water
¼ cup soy sauce
1-2 Tbsp rice vinegar
1-2 tsp chili paste
2-3 Tbsp sesame oil
5-6 cloves garlic, minced
2-3 Tbsp minced fresh ginger
1 lb fresh greens, sliced or torn up
2 tsp lightly toasted sesame seeds (optional)

Press the tofu to remove excess water, then cut it into strips or cubes.

Heat the canola oil in a wok or other deep pan. When it is hot, add the tofu in batches and fry it over high heat, stirring frequently to prevent it from sticking to the pan. When the tofu is crispy and golden brown on all sides, remove it with a slotted spoon and drain it on paper towels. When finished, pour out all but about 1 Tbsp of oil from the wok.

Mix the cornstarch and water together to form a thin paste. In a separate container, mix the soy sauce, rice vinegar, chili paste, and sesame oil together.

Reheat the 1 Tbsp of canola oil that is left in the wok. Add the garlic and ginger and stir-fry for about two minutes. Add the greens, in batches if necessary. Stir constantly until all of the greens are just wilted. Add the soy sauce mixture and continue to stir for just a moment. Add the cornstarch mixture and continue to stir until the sauce thickens. Remove from heat.

Serve hot over rice, topped with a sprinkling of sesame seeds if desired.

Serves 3-4.