Buddah's Feast - a copycat recipe from P.F. Chang

How is everyone doing with fridge foraging and trying to make tasty meals with their dwindling supplies? At times it can be challenging. I will share a method that works for our family - so far, so good.

First off I am trying to use the items in the fridge that are still fresh. In the pre-corona days it was disappointing enough to look in a crisper and find your fresh asparagus were slimy but these days.....every precious fresh resource needs to eaten before they get squidgy.

I don’t keep the fridge door open too long writing out a list of contents, rather I use my phone and dictation. Yeah, I sound like an idiot when I’m doing this but this worked for me.

Me, bent down with my phone and microphone activated, a new email ready for the list. I just call out what is in the drawers and shelves. “Asparagus, two packs, carrots, shiitake mushrooms looks a bit squidgy use soon, 1 head broccoli.....”. You get the idea. If I forget to say comma after each item its just one long string of words. Then I copy my list to a notebook and can easily check which veggies/meats/etc need to be used first. No waste.

Ok, enough of my organizational ramblings. I need to share one of the best meals we have had in a long time. It is called Buddha’s Feast and its from P.F. Chang’s copycat recipes. Doug had it ages ago when he was traveling for business and we decided to give it a whirl here. This is completely vegetarian but if you had to add chicken that would work.  It was Perfect using the tofu.  Highly recommended.



Tofu is often an overlooked source of protein and that’s a shame. It stores for long periods of time and is easy to cook. Winner all the way around. As for the Chinese Five Spice, its so wonderful. Flavorful and aromatic.

We opened one of our precious few bottles of Beaujolais for a meal on the porch.





And there was enough leftover for a lunch the next day.  The recipe states it serves two but we had one dinner and a smaller portioned lunch out of it.



Here it is getting the stir fry finishing touches.

BUDDHA'S FEAST

PF Chang's Restaurant Copycat Recipe

Makes 2 servings

1 (12 oz.) package extra firm tofu, drained, pressed, and cubed

2 teaspoons sesame oil

1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 teaspoon Chinese five spice seasoning

1 small head of broccoli, cut into florets

1/2 large bunch of asparagus, tough ends removed

1 cup carrots, chopped

1 (3 oz.) package shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and sliced

1/2 yellow onion, sliced

2 garlic cloves, pressed

oil, for stir fry

2-4 tablespoons soy sauce, for stir fry to taste

1/2 teaspoon fresh ginger paste (or sub ginger powder)

2 cups cooked brown rice

For tofu: Drain tofu and lay on a paper towel lined plate, cover with a few paper towels and add a heavy object, like a large can, on top to weigh it down and push out the extra moisture. Leave this for 20 minutes. Once the tofu is pressed and blotted dry, cube it up and place in a bowl.

Add your marinade ingredients: 1/2 teaspoon five spice powder, 2 teaspoons sesame oil, 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar, and 1 tablespoon soy sauce. Mix to coat the tofu, cover, and place in the fridge for 30 minutes to marinate.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Spread tofu out on a lined or greased baking sheet. Sprinkle additional 1/2 teaspoon five spice powder on top. Bake for 10 minutes then stir, then bake for another 10 minutes.

For the stir fry: heat oil over medium high in a large wok or skillet. Add all the veggies, tossing and mixing to cook for a few minutes, adding more oil is necessary. Add the garlic, ginger, and 2 tablespoons soy sauce. Cook for an additional minute or two. Add more soy sauce if you would like. Add tofu, toss, then pour into a serving bowl. Serve with a bowl of brown rice.

Sharing with Beth Fish Reads Weekend Cooking Series