Sukiyaki

I've been making my mom's sukiyaki recipe for years, but tonight I tried a vegan spin on it, and replaced the strips of beef with lightly browned cubes of tofu. Overall it was a success, although I wasn't looking at the recipe when I cooked it, and I didn't add enough sugar to the sauce, so instead of it having the usual sweet/salty flavor, it was just plain salty. Bummer. The kids loved it, though, and scarfed down a ton of it. You've got to love it when young kids happily eat spinach, mushrooms, tofu, water chestnuts and bamboo shoots, right? This is one of my all-time favorite recipes, so I'm thrilled to see that it's easily adapted to our attempts at a vegetarian diet.

Sukiyaki

1/2 c soy sauce
1/4 c water
2 Tbsp white sugar
2 Tbsp corn starch
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 lb sirloin steak, cut into small strips (it works best if you partially freeze it first, so it's easier to cut)
12 or so mushrooms, sliced
2 stalks celery, sliced
1 bunch green onions, cut into 1" pieces
1 can sliced water chestnuts
1 can sliced bamboo
1 bag spinach
Steamed rice (white or brown)

In a small bowl, mix together soy sauce, water, sugar and cornstarch, stirring very well; set aside.

Heat the oil on medium-high in a wok or large skillet. Add the beef and cook until it's mostly brown. Add the celery and cook for a couple minutes, until it starts to soften a bit. Add the mushrooms, green onions, water chestnuts and bamboo, and stir-fry till the mushrooms are mostly done. Add the spinach, tossing together to mix.

Before the spinach wilts completely, quickly push all of the beef/veggie mixture off to the sides of the wok, creating an empty space in the middle. Re-stir the soy sauce mixture, then pour it into the middle of the wok. Cook and stir until it bubbles and thickens (this only takes a few seconds), then gently toss it with the beef/veggie mixture to coat evenly. By that time the spinach is completely cooked, and you're ready to eat!

Serve over hot rice.

Note: To make this recipe vegan, replace the beef with fried cubes of tofu, or omit altogether.