By Raj Patel (the small husband) works in the small IT-consulting field. The small Manhattan-commute on the small NJ Transit train is the small daily-Monday-through-Thursday routine. The small Friday-work-from-home arrangement is the small workweek-anchor. The small Raj-Priya partnership has been the small two-career-with-kids juggle for the small parenthood-years.
The small Edison Indian-American community is the small social-network. The small Hindu temple in Bridgewater is the small Sunday-morning gathering. The small Diwali-Holi-Navaratri-Pongal calendar continues to mark the small year. The small extended-family-dinners with the small Krishnamurthy-cousins are the small monthly-rotation.
The small CVS-pharmacist-role at the small Edison location continues to be the small career-spine. The small forty-hour-week schedule with the small alternating-weekend rotation is the small income-and-rhythm-anchor. The small fifteen-years-of-pharmacist-experience are the small professional-credential the small career rests on.
The small CVS-pharmacist-role at the small Edison location continues to be the small career-spine. The small forty-hour-week schedule with the small alternating-weekend rotation is the small income-and-rhythm-anchor. The small fifteen-years-of-pharmacist-experience are the small professional-credential the small career rests on.
Anaya is eight, Rohan is five. The small Patel-Krishnamurthy-kids occupy the small Edison-suburb home with the small two-parent-Indian-American-family-stability. Anaya is at the small elementary-school in second grade. Rohan is at the small preschool. The small kid-rhythm is the small daily-organizing-principle.
Raj Patel (the small husband) works in the small IT-consulting field. The small Manhattan-commute on the small NJ Transit train is the small daily-Monday-through-Thursday routine. The small Friday-work-from-home arrangement is the small workweek-anchor. The small Raj-Priya partnership has been the small two-career-with-kids juggle for the small parenthood-years.
The small Indian-American cooking-identity is the small kitchen-spine. The small Indian-classics (dal, sabzi, roti, biryani) are the small weekday-staples. The small American-fusion-experiments are the small Sunday-projects. The small grandmother-recipes from Hyderabad (Priya’s maternal-side) and from Chennai (Priya’s paternal-side) are the small heritage-touchstones.
The small Edison Indian-American community is the small social-network. The small Hindu temple in Bridgewater is the small Sunday-morning gathering. The small Diwali-Holi-Navaratri-Pongal calendar continues to mark the small year. The small extended-family-dinners with the small Krishnamurthy-cousins are the small monthly-rotation.
The small Hyderabad-and-Chennai-grandparents continue to visit on the small annual-rotation. Naani (Priya’s maternal grandmother, age 84) flies in for the small October-through-December stretch. The small Christmas in Edison has the small grandparents-and-extended-family in residence for weeks. The small intergenerational-kitchen is the small November-December-rhythm.
Some nights I reach for the chapati dough and the dal, and some nights — when the week has been long in that quiet, invisible way — I reach for something that comes together quickly but still feels like I showed up for my family with care. This cashew tofu has become one of those bridge dishes in our kitchen: not a grandmother’s recipe, not a Sunday project, but something I’ve made my own through Tuesday repetition and a generous pinch of everything. The stove is hot either way. The family is hungry either way. This is the food that carries us through.
Cashew Tofu
Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 20 minutes | Total Time: 35 minutes | Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 1 block (14 oz) firm or extra-firm tofu, pressed and cut into 3/4-inch cubes
- 3/4 cup raw cashews
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons fresh ginger, grated
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil (such as avocado or canola), divided
- 1 red bell pepper, sliced into thin strips
- 2 cups broccoli florets
- 3 green onions, thinly sliced
- Steamed rice or chapati, for serving
Instructions
- Toast the cashews. In a large skillet or wok over medium heat, toast the cashews dry for 3–4 minutes, stirring frequently, until lightly golden and fragrant. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside.
- Make the sauce. In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, honey, cornstarch, ginger, garlic, and red pepper flakes if using. Set aside.
- Sear the tofu. Increase heat to medium-high. Add 1 tablespoon of neutral oil to the skillet. Add tofu cubes in a single layer and cook undisturbed for 3–4 minutes until golden on the bottom. Flip and cook another 2–3 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
- Cook the vegetables. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to the skillet. Add broccoli and bell pepper and stir-fry for 4–5 minutes until just tender and beginning to char at the edges.
- Combine and finish. Return the tofu to the skillet with the vegetables. Pour the sauce over everything and toss gently to coat. Cook for 1–2 minutes, stirring, until the sauce thickens and everything is well glazed. Add the toasted cashews and toss once more.
- Serve. Divide over steamed rice or alongside warm chapati. Top with sliced green onions.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 340 | Protein: 17g | Fat: 21g | Carbs: 22g | Fiber: 3g | Sodium: 620mg