Cashew Celery
Updated October 11, 2023
Julia Gartland for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Samantha Seneviratne.
- Total Time
- 20 minutes
- Prep Time
- 15 minutes
- Cook Time
- 5 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
2 teaspoons cornstarch
¼ cup vegetable stock or water
2 ½ tablespoons Shaoxing rice wine
4 teaspoons soy sauce or tamari
Neutral oil
4 to 6 celery stalks (about 8 ounces), trimmed and sliced diagonally
1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
3 scallions, trimmed and sliced
6 ounces dark, leafy greens (such as gai lan, choy sum, kale or spinach), halved lengthwise if they’ve got thick stems, then cut into 2-inch lengths
5 ounces five-spice-flavored or plain extra-firm tofu, cut into ½-inch-thick strips
1 cup roasted, unsalted cashews
Kosher salt
Toasted white sesame seeds, to serve
Cooked white or brown rice, to serve
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
20 grams carbs; 311 calories; 11 grams monounsaturated fat; 5 grams polyunsaturated fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 22 grams fat; 5 grams fiber; 512 milligrams sodium; 12 grams protein; 4 grams sugar
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Combine the cornstarch, stock, rice wine and soy sauce in a bowl and whisk until smooth; set aside.
- Step 2
Heat a wok or large skillet over medium-high. Once it’s hot, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of oil, along with the celery. Cook, tossing, for 2 to 3 minutes, until the celery is slightly softened; push it to the side. Add the ginger, garlic and three-quarters of the scallions, then toss for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the greens and toss for 1 to 2 minutes until slightly wilted. Toss in the tofu and cashews and stir fry for another 1 to 2 minutes, until the tofu is warmed through.
- Step 3
Stir the cornstarch mixture, then swirl it into the wok or skillet and toss until the sauce thickens and coats everything. Taste and season with a little salt, if needed.
- Step 4
Top with the remaining scallions and the sesame seeds; serve with rice.
Private Notes
Comments
This was delicious, and the whole family declared it so. I had to make a few mods based on what I had on hand -- leftover Sauvignon Blanc instead of rice wine for the sauce, and a can of drained chickpeas instead of tofu. Wouldn't change a thing!
Delicious weeknight meal with ingredients we always have available. The cashews and celery play well off one another. Similar to others, I pan fried the tofu first for better texture. I also doubled the sauce as the original seemed a bit skimpy and was happy I did. It is a light flavored sauce and doubling ensured that it coated everything nicely and was substantial enough to add flavor to the rice.
Excellent. Pressed the tofu then ripped it into pieces. Tossed with about 2 TB oil and 5-spice powder. Spread onto sheet pan and roasted it at 425° for about 30 minutes, stirring periodically. Gives tofu such great texture. Increased amount of celery and tripled the sauce. Soooooo good!!!
My family are not big fans of tofu, so only used 2/3 of the package. Made up the difference with some portabello mushrooms I needed to use (pre-sauteed). Nice addition! Also used chardonnay b/c I forgot to buy the rice wine, it all worked well. The family is ready to add it to a regular "Chinese Buffet Night"
Not vegan, obviously, but I used a pound of cut up chicken breast instead of tofu and it turned out great.
Used bok choi and lacinato kale for greens. Would double the sauce next time. Served over brown rice. Would make it again. Filling, crunchy, quick and good.