ma po tofu
My first photo post!
Ma Po Tofu and Stir-fried Baby Bok Choy
MA PO TOFU
From Lucille Liang's Chinese Regional Cooking:
Ingredients
1/4 lb ground pork (125 g)
Marinade for Ground Pork:
1 Tbs dark soy sauce (I used regular)
1 Tbs Chinese rice wine
1/2 tsp sugar
4 cakes firm tofu or 2 cakes soft bean curd, cut into cubes
2 tsp Szechuan peppercorn
Combined Seasoned Sauce
1/4 tsp dried red pepper, chopped
1 tsp ginger root, finely chopped
2 stalks scallion, chopped
1 Tbs hot bean sauce (also known as hot broad bean paste - you can also just buy regular broad bean paste and add hot chili pepper sauce in oil)
1/4 cup chicken broth (I used water as I didn't have broth on hand)
1 tsp salt
3 tbs peanut or vegetable oil (I used canola)
1 tbs tapioca starch dissolved in 2 Tbs chicken broth (I used 1 tbs corn starch in water)
2 tsp sesame oil
Preparation
1) In a bowl, marniate the ground pork in the soy sauce, wine and sugar for 15-20 minutes
2) Stir the Szechuan peppercorn in a wok (without oil) over medium heat for about 2 minutes or until they are lightly browned. Then crush the peppercorn to a fine powder and set aside.
3) Cut the bean curd into small cubes. Set aside. Combine the chopped red pepper, ginger and scallions with the hot bean sauce, chicken broth and salt to make the combined sauce. Set aside.
To Cook
1) Heat 3 tbs of oil in the wok; swirl around in the wok. Drop in the pork mixture and stir-fry for about 2 or 3 minutes until it changes color and separates.
2) Add the bean curd and then the combined sauce, and cook over moderate heat for 2 to 3 minutes.
3) Thicken with the tapioca starch mixture. Then garnish with sesame oil and Scechuan peppercorn powder. Serve hot.
NOTE: I actually made it minus the Szechuan peppercorn and dried red pepper. Not as authentic but tastes just as good. :) My mom makes it without it too, so I guess it varies by region. If you are actually FROM Szechuan, I think this would be sacrilege, though!
STIR FRIED BABY BOK CHOY
Ingredients
Baby Bok Choy
2-3 tbs vegetable or canola oil
Chopped garlic to taste (I usually mince about 3 cloves of garlic for three heads of baby bok choy)
Salt
Sesame oil
1) Separate and thoroughly wash the baby bok choy. Set aside to drain.
2) Heat vegetable or canola oil in the wok. Once the oil is hot, add the garlic and cook it slightly.
3) Add baby bok choy and stir fry about 5-7 minutes until done (the stalks turn bright green when cooked).
4) Season with salt and a small amount of sesame oil.
This is pretty much how I stir-fry most leafy vegetables and broccoli (steam the broccoli a little before hand to get rid of the bitter taste you sometimes get)
Ma Po Tofu and Stir-fried Baby Bok Choy
MA PO TOFU
From Lucille Liang's Chinese Regional Cooking:
Ingredients
1/4 lb ground pork (125 g)
Marinade for Ground Pork:
1 Tbs dark soy sauce (I used regular)
1 Tbs Chinese rice wine
1/2 tsp sugar
4 cakes firm tofu or 2 cakes soft bean curd, cut into cubes
2 tsp Szechuan peppercorn
Combined Seasoned Sauce
1/4 tsp dried red pepper, chopped
1 tsp ginger root, finely chopped
2 stalks scallion, chopped
1 Tbs hot bean sauce (also known as hot broad bean paste - you can also just buy regular broad bean paste and add hot chili pepper sauce in oil)
1/4 cup chicken broth (I used water as I didn't have broth on hand)
1 tsp salt
3 tbs peanut or vegetable oil (I used canola)
1 tbs tapioca starch dissolved in 2 Tbs chicken broth (I used 1 tbs corn starch in water)
2 tsp sesame oil
Preparation
1) In a bowl, marniate the ground pork in the soy sauce, wine and sugar for 15-20 minutes
2) Stir the Szechuan peppercorn in a wok (without oil) over medium heat for about 2 minutes or until they are lightly browned. Then crush the peppercorn to a fine powder and set aside.
3) Cut the bean curd into small cubes. Set aside. Combine the chopped red pepper, ginger and scallions with the hot bean sauce, chicken broth and salt to make the combined sauce. Set aside.
To Cook
1) Heat 3 tbs of oil in the wok; swirl around in the wok. Drop in the pork mixture and stir-fry for about 2 or 3 minutes until it changes color and separates.
2) Add the bean curd and then the combined sauce, and cook over moderate heat for 2 to 3 minutes.
3) Thicken with the tapioca starch mixture. Then garnish with sesame oil and Scechuan peppercorn powder. Serve hot.
NOTE: I actually made it minus the Szechuan peppercorn and dried red pepper. Not as authentic but tastes just as good. :) My mom makes it without it too, so I guess it varies by region. If you are actually FROM Szechuan, I think this would be sacrilege, though!
STIR FRIED BABY BOK CHOY
Ingredients
Baby Bok Choy
2-3 tbs vegetable or canola oil
Chopped garlic to taste (I usually mince about 3 cloves of garlic for three heads of baby bok choy)
Salt
Sesame oil
1) Separate and thoroughly wash the baby bok choy. Set aside to drain.
2) Heat vegetable or canola oil in the wok. Once the oil is hot, add the garlic and cook it slightly.
3) Add baby bok choy and stir fry about 5-7 minutes until done (the stalks turn bright green when cooked).
4) Season with salt and a small amount of sesame oil.
This is pretty much how I stir-fry most leafy vegetables and broccoli (steam the broccoli a little before hand to get rid of the bitter taste you sometimes get)