Fast Food, Done Right

This is Tuesday-night cooking. You’re tired. You’re hungry. You could order a takeaway, or you could have something better on the table in 20 minutes.

Three packs of tofu. One pack of chicken. A hot wok. That’s it.

🌱 The 75% Principle
75%
Plant-Based
+
25%
Meat
=
100%
Delicious

Ingredients

The Protein (3:1)

  • 1 pack chicken thigh fillets (400-500g), sliced into thin strips
  • 3 packs firm tofu (400g each), sliced into rectangles and pressed

The Vegetables (use whatever’s in the fridge)

  • 1 large broccoli, cut into small florets
  • 2 peppers (any colour), sliced
  • 1 large carrot, cut into matchsticks
  • 4 spring onions, cut into 3cm lengths
  • Handful of mangetout or sugar snaps (if you’ve got them)

The Sauce (mix this in a bowl first)

  • 3 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp oyster sauce (or mushroom oyster sauce for a more plant-forward version)
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil
  • 1 tbsp cornflour
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 2 tbsp water
  • 1 clove garlic, grated
  • Thumb of ginger, grated

To Finish

  • Toasted sesame seeds
  • Fresh chilli, sliced
  • Jasmine rice or noodles

Instructions

1. Press and Prep

Press the tofu (see Yummy Sweet Meat for the tea-towel method). Slice into rectangles. Pat bone dry — this is non-negotiable for crispy tofu.

Slice the chicken. Mix the sauce in a bowl. Have everything within arm’s reach of the hob. Stir-frying waits for nobody.

2. Crisp the Tofu

Wok action Wok on high heat. 2 tbsp oil. When it’s smoking, add the tofu in a single layer. Don’t touch it for 2-3 minutes. Flip when golden. Another 2 minutes. Remove.

💡 Wok Hei
The secret to proper stir-fry is raging heat and small batches. If your wok isn’t almost smoking, it’s not hot enough. If your food is swimming in liquid, you’ve overcrowded it. Two batches of tofu is better than one sad, steamed batch.

3. Cook the Chicken

Same wok, still screaming hot. Add a splash more oil. Add the chicken strips. Spread them out. Leave them 2 minutes to get colour, then stir. Cook until golden and cooked through — 4-5 minutes total. Remove.

4. Flash the Veg

Wok still hot. Another splash of oil. Broccoli and carrots go in first (they take longest) — 2 minutes. Then peppers and mangetout — 1 minute. You want them charred in spots but still crunchy.

5. Bring It Together

Turn heat to medium. Everything back in the wok — tofu, chicken, veg. Give the sauce a stir (the cornflour settles) and pour it in.

Toss everything for 60 seconds. The sauce will thicken and coat everything in a glossy, savoury glaze.

Add the spring onions. Toss once more. Done.

6. Serve

Over rice or noodles. Sesame seeds and fresh chilli on top. Eat immediately — stir-fry doesn’t wait.

Be Kind to Future Self

This makes 6 portions. The stir-fry itself is best fresh, but it reheats better than you’d think:

  • Eat 2-3 tonight — stir-fry is best straight from the wok
  • Fridge 2 — reheat in a hot pan (not microwave — you want to re-crisp)
  • Freeze the rest — portion into containers with rice. Microwave from frozen for 4 minutes. Lunch sorted.

Pro move: Make double the sauce and freeze it in ice cube trays. Tuesday-night stir-fry becomes a 10-minute job.

Make It Different

  • Peanut version: Add 2 tbsp peanut butter and a squeeze of lime to the sauce. Suddenly it’s satay.
  • Black bean: Swap the sauce for 2 tbsp black bean sauce thinned with soy and water.
  • Use pork: Swap chicken for pork loin, sliced thin. Same method.
  • Smoked tofu: Use 1 pack smoked tofu for deeper flavour. No pressing needed.
  • Noodle version: Cook udon or egg noodles. Toss them in with everything at the end.

Nothing is sacred. Fridge raid. Wok on. Go.