Pan-Cooked Greens with Tofu and Garlic

With thick-stemmed greens, you get two vegetables for the price of one: the leaves cook up tender and silky, while the center ribs remain crunchy. You have to take the time to separate them, but it really does make a difference. And do try freezing the tofu overnight (or up to a couple of months); when it is thawed, its texture is dense and meaty.

You can eat this dish hot or at room temperature like a warm salad, with brown rice. Or roll everything into a big whole wheat tortilla.

1 pound firm tofu

1½ pounds of kale, Napa cabbage, bok choy, or other thick-stemmed Asian greens

3 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil, plus more if needed

3 tablespoons nam pla (Thai or Vietnamese fish sauce), or soy sauce

1 small chile, stemmed, seeded if you like, and minced, or crushed red chile flakes to taste

1 tablespoon sugar

2 tablespoons lime juice or rice vinegar, or to taste

2 or 3 cloves garlic, cut into slivers

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 If time allows, freeze the tofu and thaw it out before starting. Either way, squeeze the block of tofu between your palms (over a bowl or the sink). Be firm but not too enthusiastic: you want to push out some excess water without smashing the tofu. Cut in half lengthwise, then slice into thin pieces and set aside. For the greens, separate the stems from the leaves; cut the stems into 1-inch sections and roughly chop the leaves.

2 Put a tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over high heat, add about half the vegetable stems, and cook, stirring frequently until they’re browned and slightly tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove to a bowl with a slotted spoon and repeat with remaining stems. Remove and repeat with leaves. Remove. While greens cook, combine nam pla, chile, sugar, and lime juice or vinegar in a small bowl.

3 Add a little more oil to skillet if necessary, followed by the tofu slices; work in batches if the pan is too crowded (these won’t take long to cook). Cook, flipping them once with a spatula, until browned on both sides, less than 5 minutes. During the last minute or so of cooking, add the garlic, return the greens to the pan, and stir. Turn off the heat, drizzle with the dressing, and toss again. Taste and add salt if necessary and lots of black pepper. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Stir-Fried Greens with Cashews: Instead of the tofu, use 1 cup whole cashews. Proceed with the recipe.

Microwaved Greens with Tofu: Cut the tofu into cubes instead of slices. Start by mixing the dressing ingredients together as described in Step 2, but in a big bowl. First put the stems in a microwave-proof bowl or plate fitted with a lid or a piece of vented plastic. Cook on high for about 3 minutes (more or less, depending on your machine), until the stems are just becoming tender. Transfer to the bowl with the dressing and toss. Repeat the process with the leaves; this will take only a couple of minutes. Then cook the tofu in the microwave until just steaming, another minute or two. Toss everything together in the bowl and taste. Season and serve as described in Step 3.