1. Whisk glaze ingredients in small bowl; whisk sauce ingredients in separate small bowl. In third small bowl, mix garlic and ginger with 1 teaspoon vegetable oil. Set bowls aside.

2. Heat 3 tablespoons vegetable oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. While oil is heating, sprinkle cornstarch evenly into baking dish. Place tofu on top of cornstarch and turn with fingers until evenly coated. When skillet is hot, add tofu in single layer and cook until golden brown, 4 to 6 minutes. Turn tofu with tongs and cook until second side is browned, 4 to 6 minutes more. Add glaze ingredients and cook, stirring, until glaze is thick and tofu is coated, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer tofu to plate; rinse skillet clean and dry with paper towels.

3. Heat 1 teaspoon vegetable oil in now-empty skillet over medium-high heat until beginning to smoke. Add carrots and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Add 1/2 cup broth and cover skillet; cook until carrots are just tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Uncover and cook until liquid evaporates, about 30 seconds. Transfer carrots to plate with tofu.

4. Heat remaining teaspoon vegetable oil in now-empty skillet over medium-high heat until beginning to smoke. Add snow peas and bok choy stems or napa cabbage cores and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown and soften, 1 to 2 minutes. Add leafy greens and cook, stirring frequently, until wilted, about 1 minute. Push vegetables to sides of skillet to clear center; add garlic-ginger mixture to clearing and cook, mashing mixture with spoon or spatula, until fragrant, 15 to 20 seconds, then stir mixture into greens.

5. Return all vegetables to skillet along with sauce. Toss to combine and cook, stirring, until sauce is thickened and vegetables are coated, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to serving platter, top with sesame seeds, if using, and serve immediately.

Choosing and Preparing Vegetables for a Stir-Fry

Portobello mushrooms and eggplant are the mainstays in our stir-fries. As for the other vegetables, use those called for in the recipe or switch them with another vegetable from the same category below. We recommend using one harder, longer-cooking vegetable paired with quicker-cooking vegetable and a leafy green (either napa cabbage or bok choy).

Longer-cooking vegetables (to yield 2 cups)

4 small carrots, peeled, sliced on bias 1/4-inch-thick

1/2 pound broccoli, stalks discarded, florets cut into 1 1/4-inch pieces

1/2 pound cauliflower, core removed, florets cut into 1 1/4-inch pieces

1 pound medium asparagus, bottoms trimmed, cut on bias into 1 1/2-inch lengths

1/2 pound green beans, ends trimmed, cut on bias into 1 1/2-inch lengths

Quicker-cooking vegetables (to yield 1 cup)

1 medium bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch dice

3 ounces snow peas, strings and tough ends trimmed

3 medium ribs celery, ends trimmed, cut on bias 1/2-inch-thick

1 small zucchini or summer squash, seeded, quartered lengthwise, and cut on bias 1/4-inch-thick

Leafy Greens (to yield 2 cups stems and 4 cups greens)

1 small bok choy or napa cabbage (about 1 lb), stems/cores and greens separated, stems/cores cut into 1/4-inch strips, greens into 3/4-inch-thick strips

Serves 3 to 4