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4. Add the mushrooms and tofu, and the remaining ¼ teaspoon salt. Keeping the heat high, continue to stir-fry for another minute, stirring all the vegetables up from the bottom of the pan. Add the zucchini and bell pepper, and cook for 1 minute more.

5. Whisk the glaze to reincorporate the cornstarch (it will have settled to the bottom), and then quickly pour the whole cupful into the wok or skillet. Cook, stirring, over high heat for just about 1 minute. The glaze will coat everything and thicken a little. Serve immediately, over rice.

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GET CREATIVE

Garnish with whole or chopped toasted cashews or roasted peanuts.

Scatter some scallion greens, thinly sliced on the diagonal, over the finished dish.

Throw in a handful of snow peas or sugar snap peas along with the bell pepper.

Add up to ½ cup fresh or drained canned pineapple chunks along with the bell pepper.

Add up to 1 tablespoon grated orange zest to the glaze (zest the orange before juicing it).

You can fry the tofu until crisp after it’s simmered: Pat it dry with towels. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat for about a minute, then add 1 tablespoon canola, soy, or peanut oil and swirl to coat the pan. Fry the tofu, turning it occasionally, for about 5 minutes, or until it’s brown on all sides. Sprinkle ¼ teaspoon garlic powder and 1 tablespoon soy sauce over the tofu, stir to coat evenly, and cook for another minute.

Pass shaker bottles of soy sauce, chile oil, and toasted sesame oil at the table.

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burgers.

EXCELLENT HOMEMADE HAMBURGERS

TURKEY BURGERS

SALMON BURGERS

TUNA BURGERS

VERY CRISP PANKO-COATED EGGPLANT CUTLETS

BLACK BEAN BURGERS

PORTOBELLO FAUX BURGERS

SPICE-CRUSTED TOFU CUTLETS

How to Build a Burger

It’s no accident that burgers have become the great American default meal. They’re tasty, fast, portable, satisfying, inexpensive, and these days, whether you’re eating out or grocery shopping, you can find a burger form and flavor for every style of eating, from ground beef to turkey to a wider range of meatless options than you might have imagined. If you love burgers and eat them often, over time, you’ll save lots of money by making your own at home.

For the purposes of this chapter, I’m defining burgers as patties or cutlets that are cooked in a skillet and are perfect on a bun with the classic condiments—ketchup, mustard, mayo, pickles, relish, and the like. All of these recipes work well without the bun, too, simply served as an entrée with or without any of the suggested toppings.

TWO TOOLS FOR BURGER SUCCESS

A good heavy skillet is essential for making burgers. Avoid thin, lightweight frying pans, as they’re likely to char the outside of the burger well before the inside is cooked. The perfect choice? A cast-iron skillet: heavy-bottomed, indestructible, and affordable.

A thin-bladed metal spatula will also make life easier (and your burgers better). Whether you go with a long curved-tip one (with a blade about the shape of a large tongue depressor) or a fish spatula (which has slots running up and down the blade), thin is the operative word. The narrower the blade, the easier it will be to maneuver the spatula around and under the burgers for checking doneness and flipping, as well as for scraping up the good stuff that sticks to the pan.

THE FIRE DRILL

Think of the heat at which you cook burgers—or any food—as part of the seasoning. It really does affect flavor and texture. So pay close attention to the heat level called for in these recipes, just as you would the amount of any ingredient. Keep an eye on the burgers and the burner, and adjust the heat if it looks like the browning is happening too quickly or too slowly.

For most burgers, it’s a good idea to turn on the fan over the stove if you have one, and/or to open the nearest window, so you don’t set off the smoke alarm.

If you have a gas or charcoal grill, by all means use it to cook the Excellent Homemade Hamburgers, the Turkey Burgers,