Family Style Bean Curd Recipes

BEAN CURD HOME STYLE: MEAT-FREE AND DELICIOUS

Steps:

• Boil the rehydrated bean curds in water for about 10 min (or according to the package instructions).
• Mix soy/ doubanjiang sauce, honey, chili flakes, pepper, garlic, and ginger in a separate bowl.
• Pat the boiled curds dry and cut them into 2-in long strips.
• Bring the sesame oil to medium heat in a frying pan or wok. Add the curd strips and fry for 2-3 min, until lightly golden. Then add the spice mix and bamboo shoots and fry for another 2-3 min, until fragrant. Done, the home-style tofu is ready to serve!

MA-PO BEAN CURD

Steps:

• Drain tofu and cut into 1/2-inch pieces.
• Heat oil in nonstick skillet and saute ginger and garlic for 30 seconds. Add pork, stirring to separate pieces and cook about 1 minute to brown.
• Add the scallions, chili paste, soy sauce, sesame oil and chicken stock and stir well. Add the tofu and stir in gently; cook, uncovered, over low heat about 5 minutes. If necessary, add a little more stock. Serve over rice.

RED-COOKED TOFU, FAMILY STYLE

Steps:

• Cut the bean-curd cake into 1-inch-by-3-inch-by-1-inch pieces. Lay them on paper towels and drain for 10 minutes.
• At a slight diagonal, cut the scallions into 3-inch pieces.
• Heat a wok or large saute pan until it is hot. Add 1/2 cup of the peanut oil, and when it is hot, fry the bean curd on both sides until it is golden brown. Drain the bean curd well on paper towels.
• Drain and discard the oil. Wipe the wok clean, reheat and add the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons of oil. Then add the scallions and garlic, and stir-fry for 30 seconds. Put in the rest of the ingredients except the sesame oil. Bring the mixture to a boil, return the fried bean-curd pieces, and cook over high heat, stirring occasionally to distribute the sauce, for 10 minutes or until the bean curd has absorbed most of the sauce. Add the sesame oil and give the mixture a final turn. Serve at once.

BEAN CURD SZECHUAN-STYLE (MA PO DOFU)

Steps:

• Cut bean curd into .5-inch cubes, place in a colander and leave to drain for 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a small bowl blend the marinade: 1 tsp of soy sauce, sherry, and sweet bean or hoisin sauce; add pork and stir to coat.
• Stir in 1 tsp of the oil and marinate for 15 minutes.
• Heat a wok or wide frying pan over high heat.
• When pan is hot, add remaining veg oil.
• When oil begins to heat (i.e. passes the "water droplet test" where a sprinkling of water thrown into the oil starts to crackle--careful here) add ginger and garlic.
• Stir once, then add pork and stir-fry until meat isn't pink any more, about 2 minutes.
• Stir in hot bean sauce (lajiaojiang or tobanjan).
• Add drained beancurd, the water and the 2 Tbsp soy sauce.
• Simmer for 3 minutes, then add green onion.
• Re-mix cornstarch and water with a fork, add to pan and cook, stirring, until sauce bubbles and thickens (this happens very quickly).
• Sprinkle with crushed szechuan peppercorns just before serving.
• Serve over large mounds of hot white rice.
• I have served this along with some stir-fried Chinese broccoli (gai lan) seasoned with a little oyster sauce, or some baby bok choy stir fried with a little sesame oil.
• For a vegetarian version, this recipe also works if you omit the meat.
• You could also try using some kind of veggie sausage, like Morningstar crumbles, in place of the pork.