This is my attempt at a quick take-out style Americanized Chinese dish. My local Chinese take-out has a "diet menu" that's usually just vegetables and unseasoned chicken served with rice and a brown sauce. What's in that brown sauce you ask? Good question, because that's what they call it. It's a delicious sauce though, so I tried to recreate it here, and served it over the mixture instead of on the side. I was in a mapo tofu kind of mood, but didn't want anything spicy. This came out good enough that I thought I'd share. It needs a better name though.
Serves 2
You'll need:
- 8 oz protein of choice - I used a block of firm tofu here, roughly cubed
- 2 medium sized zucchini, cut into ~1 inch chunks
- 1 cup snipped and halved green beans
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp hoisin
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp corn starch + 2 tbsp water
- 1/2 cup water or stock
- salt + pepper
Instructions:
- In a well oiled skillet over medium heat, toss in your zucchini and green beans and cook for 5 minutes to soften slightly, don't let them burn
- Add the soy sauce to the hot pan and let it cook for about 15 seconds, then add the hoisin, oyster sauce, sugar, and water/stock, mix well
- Bring the sauce to a simmer, and add the tofu, stir gently to combine, and heat for 2 minutes
- Mix and add the cornstarch slurry, stir well, and let the sauce simmer until thickened - about 1 minute
- Sprinkle some sesame seeds on top and serve with some steamed white rice