Lacquered Tofu Triangles with Green Beans and Cashews

A recipe that was so good I almost cried. Well, I don't want to get your expectations up too high, but I loved this dish. You can serve it over rice (which Brad prefers), but I ate mine over a baked sweet potato. It was awesome, and all the colors on the plate were so pretty together. (Taken from Deborah Madison's book, "This Can't Be Tofu!")

1 carton firm tofu

1 red bell pepper

1/2 lb. green beans or thin asparagus

1/2 tsp. Szechuan peppercorns (I used regular peppercorns)

1 T. mushroom soy sauce

3 T. regular soy sauce

2 T. light brown sugar

3 garlic cloves

1/4 cup water or stock

5 T. roasted peanut oil

5 scallions, including the firm greens, sliced diagonally into 1/2-inch pieces

1/4 cup roasted cashews

1. Drain the tofu. Cut it crosswise into slabs about 1/2 inch wide. Cut each slab in half lengthwise, then cut into triangles. Blot well with paper towels. Cut the bell pepper in half lengthwise, remove the veins and seeds, then cut each half in to three long strips. Cut each strip into triangles. Tip and tail the beans and cut them into 2-inch lengths. Toast the Szechuan peppercorns in a dry skillet until aromatic, then grind to a powder and set aside.

2. Combine the next five ingredients in a small bowl and stir to dissolve the sugar.

3. Heat 1 T. of the oil in a wide nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the tofu and cook, without disturbing, until firm, about 5 minutes. Turn and cook the second side. The tofu should be golden, but still tender to the touch. Remove and set aside.

4. Add another teaspoon of oil to the pan and, when hot, add the green beans. Stir-fry over high heat for 2 minutes, then add the bell pepper and cook for another 5 minutes or so. Add the scallions to the pan, and return the tofu to the pan and season with a few pinches of salt and the Szechuan peppercorns.

5. Pour in the soy-sauce mixture and cook, moving the pan back and forth rapidly to coat the tofu and peppers. Turn off the heat before it reduces too much. Top with cashews and serve over rice or baked sweet potato.