Szechuan Tofu And Red Bellpepper Recipes

SZECHUAN TOFU AND VEGGIES

Steps:

• Heat oil in a skillet. Season oil generously with salt and pepper. With tofu, I generally use ½ teaspoon kosher salt per ½ pound of tofu. Swirl the seasoned oil around until spread out uniformly. Add tofu and sear on at least two sides, until crispy and golden. Be patient here. Set aside.
• To the same pan, add a little more oil if needed, onion, and mushrooms and sauté over medium-high heat - stirring constantly, until tender, about 3 minutes. Add the remaining veggies, add the dried red chilies if you like -and lower heat to medium, and sauté, tossing & stirring for 3-5 minutes until just tender or al dente. Tender, but vibrant and still slightly crisp!
• Add the Szechuan Sauce, starting with ¼ cup and adding more to taste. If you are cooking more than one batch, you'll need to multiply the sauce accordingly. Cook the sauce 2 minutes, letting it thicken a bit. Toss in the crispy tofu ( or shrimp or chicken) right at the end, just to warm it up.
• Divide among bowls. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and scallions. Add chili flakes for more heat.
• Serve this just as it is, or over rice, or noodles... and remember, do not eat the dried chilis!

SZECHUAN TOFU AND RED BELLPEPPER

Steps:

• In a small bowl, mix soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, chile garlic, and white pepper. Set aside.
• Heat a large frying pan or wok with oil over med-high heat. Carefully add tofu and sear for a minute then add bellpeppers. Cook until peppers until tender and slightly crunchy. Add a bit more oil if needed.
• Add the last 3 ingredients: oil, garlic, and ginger to pan; stir until garlic are lightly browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir soy mixture and add to pan; bring to a boil and stir until most of the liquid has evaporated and tofu and peppers are coated, 2 to 3 minutes. Pour into a serving dish.

MAPO DOUFU (SICHUAN TOFU GROUND BEEF IN RED CHILE SAUCE)

Steps:

• Place tofu in a bowl with 3 cups boiling salted water. Let sit 15 minutes. Drain and spread on paper towels to dry; set aside.
• Heat oil in a 14 inch flat-bottomed wok or frying pan over medium-high heat. Add garlic and ginger. Cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
• Add beef; cook, stirring and breaking up meat, until browned, 4-6 minutes.
• Add chives, chiles, paste, and beans. Cook, stirring, until scallions are wilted, about 2 minutes.
• Add stock and tofu. Bring to a boil, stirring gently, so as not to break up the tofu.
• Add sugar and soy. Cook, stirring, until sugar is dissolved, about 1 minute. While stirring, slowly add cornstarch mixture. Cook until sauce has thickened, about 2 minutes more.
• Transfer to a dish and garnish with scallions and pepper. Serve with rice.