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After my husband, Paul, got laid off last June, we stopped eating out to cut back on expenses. Even going out to our local (and reasonably priced) Asian restaurant was out of the question. I missed having my favorite Chinese, Vietnamese and Tai dishes, especially knowing how hard it was to replicate those dishes at home. I’ve tried to before and was never successful. (Though I do have to admit that Paul’s one hell of a home sushi chef and Pad Thai cook.)
When I signed up as a Sun-Bird Seasonings blogger, I hoped that I’d be able to make healthy, inexpensive and authentic tasting dishes at home with their seasoning mixes. So far I’ve tried two that I’ve loved: Stir Fry Seasoning Mix and Mongolian Beef Seasoning Mix. Both Sun-Bird…
View Full Recipe at This Mama Cooks!
%20Asian%20restaurant%20was%20out%20of%20the%20question.%20I%20missed%20having%20my%20favorite%20Chinese,%20Vietnamese%20and%20Tai%20dishes,%20especially%20knowing%20how%20hard%20it%20was%20to%20replicate%20those%20dishes%20at%20home.%20I%E2%80%99ve%20tried%20to%20before%20and%20was%20never%20successful.%20(Though%20I%20do%20have%20to%20admit%20that%20Paul%E2%80%99s%20one%20hell%20of%20a%20home%20sushi%20chef%20and%20Pad%20Thai%20cook.)%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EWhen%20I%20signed%20up%20as%20a%20Sun-Bird%20Seasonings%20blogger,%20I%20hoped%20that%20I%E2%80%99d%20be%20able%20to%20make%20healthy,%20inexpensive%20and%20authentic%20tasting%20dishes%20at%20home%20with%20their%20seasoning%20mixes.%20So%20far%20I%E2%80%99ve%20tried%20two%20that%20I%E2%80%99ve%20loved:%20Stir%20Fry%20Seasoning%20Mix%20and%20Mongolian%20Beef%20Seasoning%20Mix.%20Both%20Sun-Bird%20Seasonings%20mixes%20were%20easy%20to%20make,%20especially%20with%20things%20I%20had%20on%20hand,%20like%20frozen%20vegetables.%20Best%20of%20all,%20they%20were%20delicious%20and%20just%20as%20good%20as%20any%20thing%20I%20had%20out%20at%20Chinese%20restaurants%20by%20my%20home%20%E2%80%93%20and%20without%20the%20pricy%20bill%20and%20tip!%20Healthing%20up%20Sun-Bird%20Seasoning%20Mixes%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3ENow%20I%E2%80%99ll%20be%20honest.%20The%20mixes%20aren%E2%80%99t%20perfect.%20They%20contain%20things%20like%20sugar,%20whey%20(which%20I%20have%20a%20food%20sensitivity%20to),%20corn%20syrup,%20and%20even%20MSG.%20Some%20of%20their%20mixes%20are%20better%20than%20others,%20so%20read%20the%20labels.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3ELuckily,%20there%20are%20ways%20to%20health%20things%20up.%20For%20example,%20if%20the%20label%20directions%20have%20you%20add%20sugar,%20you%20could%20use%20powdered%20stevia%20instead.%20Or%20if%20you%E2%80%99re%20supposed%20to%20add%20soy%20sauce,%20you%20could%20use%20a%20low-sodium%20or%20gluten%20free%20soy%20sauce.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EI%E2%80%99ve%20also%20noticed%20that%20the%20packets%20create%20a%20lot%20of%20very%20thick%20sauce.%20To%20thin%20it,%20add%20more%20water.%20This%20way%20you%20can%20add%20more%20food,%20especially%20healthy%20stir%20fry%20vegetables.%20Believe%20me,%20a%20little%20sauce%20goes%20a%20long%20way,%20especially%20with%20the%20spicy%20mixes.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EFinally,%20serve%20your%20dishes%20with%20whole%20grain%20brown%20rice.%20Mongolian%20Tofu%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EWhen%20I%20made%20Mongolian%20Beef%20for%20my%20family,%20there%20wasn%E2%80%99t%20quite%20enough%20to%20go%20around%20as%20I%20knew%20my%20husband%20and%20son%20would%20want%20more%20than%20the%20usual%20serving.%20So%20I%20decided%20to%20cook%20up%20some%20tofu%20for%20myself.%20Here%E2%80%99s%20how:%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3ECook%20up%20the%20beef%20as%20directed%20on%20the%20back%20of%20the%20packet.%20(I%20added%201/2%20a%20onion%20to%20the%20beef%20when%20I%20browned%20it.)%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EAfter%20dishing%20up%20the%20beef,%20deglaze%20the%20skillet%20with%20water,%20broth%20or%20maybe%20a%20little%20white%20wine.%20(I%20used%20water.)%20Add%20just%20enough%20liquid%20(1/2%20to%201%20cup)%20to%20thin%20out%20the%20sauce%20and%20get%20the%20cooked%20bits%20off%20the%20skillet.%20Don%E2%80%99t%20cook%20to%20reduce%20the%20sauce.%20(You%E2%80%99ll%20do%20that%20later%20with%20the%20tofu.)%20Instead,%20pour%20the%20resulting%20broth%20into%20a%20bowl%20and%20set%20aside.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EHeat%20the%20skillet%20over%20medium%20to%20medium%20high%20heat.%20While%20it%E2%80%99s%20heating,%20slice%20a%20block%20of%20very%20firm%20tofu%20into%201/2%20inch%20slices.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EAdd%20a%20little%20cooking%20oil%20or%20cooking%20spray%20to%20the%20pan%20and%20lay%20the%20tofu%20slices%20in%20the%20pan.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3ECook%20each%20side%20of%20the%20tofu%20until%20medium%20brown.%20Remove%20from%20skillet%20and%20place%20in%20a%20dish%20or%20plate,%20if%20necessary,%20to%20make%20room%20for%20more%20slices.%20Keep%20warm.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3ECook%20all%20slices%20of%20the%20tofu%20and%20return%20them%20all%20to%20the%20skillet,%20loosely%20layered.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EAdd%20deglazing%20broth%20back%20to%20pan%20to%20cover%20tofu.%20Heat%20until%20broth%20thickens.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3ERemove%20skillet%20from%20heat%20and%20serve%20with%20stir%20fry%20vegetables.%20%20I%20used%20another%20packet%20of%20Mongolian%20Beef%20mix%20to%20stir%20fry%20a%20huge%20portion%20of%20frozen%20stir%20fry%20vegetables%20%E2%80%93%20enough%20for%20the%20beef%20AND%20the%20tofu.%20I%20then%20served%20the%20Mongolian%20Beef%20with%20vegetables%20and%20rice,%20but%20just%20had%20vegetables%20with%20the%20Mongolian%20Tofu.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EJust%20a%20note%20of%20warning,%20this%20is%20a%20spicy%20dish.%20My%20spice-loving%20husband%20and%20son%20thought%20it%20was%20too%20spicy!%20This%20shocked%20me,%20because%20I%20loved%20it%20%E2%80%93%20and%20I%E2%80%99m%20not%20into%20spicy%20food.%20Well,%20I%20do%20like%20spicy%20Asian%20food%20that%20is%20sweet,%20and%20Mongolian%20Tofu%20at%20home%20with%20Sun-Bird%20Seasoning%20Mix%20fit%20the%20bill.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EWhat%E2%80%99s%20your%20favorite%20Asian%20dish%20to%20eat%20out%20or%20make%20at%20home?%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3E________________%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EDisclosure:%20Guenther,%20the%20parent%20company%20of%20Sun-Bird,%20provided%20compensation%20for%20this%20post.%20All%20opinions%20and%20experiences%20are%20my%20own.%3C/p%3E){kind=link}