Instructions: Place peanuts in a blender, and grind briefly until they form a coarse meal. Set aside.

Heat a medium-sized heavy skillet. Add half the oil and all the ginger and garlic. Saute for a few minutes over medium heat, then add 1/2 cup crushed peanuts and all the lemon zest. Cook over medium-low heat for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring often, until the peanuts are lightly toasted. Remove from heat and set aside.

As the peanut mixture is cooking (watch over it!), heat a large wok or deep skillet. Drizzle in a little oil. When it is very hot, add the (boiled and drained) tofu cubes and pinch salt. Cook over high heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle with lemon juice, reduce the heat, and cook for a few minutes longer. Transfer the tofu to the pan containing the peanut mixture, and set aside.

Scrape out the wok or skillet if necessary, and return it to the heat. Let it get very hot, then add the remaining scant tablespoon of oil. When the oil is hot, add the green beans. (The pan should sizzle when the beans hit.) Stir-fry over high heat for about 5 minutes, then sprinkle with salt and some red pepper flakes.

Stir-fry for just a few minutes longer, or until the beans are divinely tender-crisp (mostly crisp, but just tender enough). Add the peanut-tofu mixture and toss everything together. Serve right away, over rice or noodles. Garnish with remaining peanuts.

REVIEW - We boiled the tofu for firmness. The original recipe used all the peanuts in the sauce. We reserved some and loved the added texture. We combined bok choy and green beans: about 6 ounces each; so we had more vegetable volume than mentioned. We also used less oil than Mollie would. Loved the citrus and ginger. The flavor was lighter than expected. When we added a splash of soy sauce, this spring dish turned to autumn. Musky. Very good. A bit of work and cleanup but worth the effort. kitpath@earthlink.net 2001-08-15

Description: "Prepare yourself for a virtual explosion of flavor and texture"

NOTES : The tofu cubes will be even firmer if you boil them for about 10 minutes ahead of time. Drain well.

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