Yu Dofu Kyoto Style Plain Simmered Bean Curd Recipes

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.

PEKING-STYLE FRIED BEAN CURD

Steps:

• Cut the bean curd into 1/2 inch slices.
• Before frying, coat with flour then dip into the egg.
• Heat the wok then add 2 T oil.
• Arrange the slices of bean curd evenly on the bottom of the wok.
• Fry over medium heat for about 1 minute, or until golden brown.
• Sprinkle with onion, ginger root and sherry, salt, sesame oil and stock.
• Pierce the bean curd with a fork to allow the liquid to seep through.
• Turn heat to low and cook until the liquid is absorbed by the bean curd.
• Shrimp's eggs may be added to this dish if desired.

BEAN CURD WITH BROCCOLI

Steps:

• Put cornstarch into a cup and slowly add 1/4 cup of the vegetable stock (make sure it is room temperature or cooler) and mix well.
• Add wine, soy sauce and sesame oil.
• Mix well.
• Cut scallion into 1 1/2-inch lengths.
• Heat vegetable oil in a wok over medium heat. When hot, put in ginger and garlic. Stir fry for 10 seconds.
• Put in scallion and broccoli.
• Fry for 1 minute. Add 1/2 cup vegetable stock and the salt. Bring to a simmer.
• Cover and cook over a medium heat for a minute, until broccoli is tender-crisp.
• Remove broccoli with a slotted spoon.
• Turn heat to low and add tofu.
• Let it heat through.
• Add cornstarch mixture.Stir very gently.
• Put broccoli back in wok.
• Serve as soon as the sauce is thick and everything is heated through.

STEAMED BEAN CURD WITH SOY SAUCE

Steps:

• Steam tofu over gentle heat for six to seven minutes to warm the tofu (I always use the rice cooker to steam the tofu while the rice is cooking); remove and set aside.
• Heat oil in a wok, fry ginger, garlic and shallots till crisp and golden.
• Remove but leave the oil in the wok.
• Add the sauce ingredients to the wok and bring to boil.
• Reduce the heat and simmer until sauce thickens slightly; pour hot sauce over tofu.
• Top with the crisp garlic, ginger and shallots, and finally the garnishing ingredients, serve immediately.

FU JU FERMENTED TOFU OR BEAN CURD

Steps:

• Press the bean curd for 2 hours. Dry with towels and cut into 9 pieces. Use a very thin 5 to 6 inch bamboo or wooden skewer thread 4 small squares of curd onto each. Leave space between each.d Place in covered steamer pot in well aired room for 2 to 4 days. {Trust me you want it well aired.} It will develop a orangish yellow mold and have a slippery appearance and strong odor.
• Grind the crushed peppers, peppercorns and fennel. Add salt and mix well then pour into a dish. Carefully take a skewer and sprinkle seasoning mix over all of the fermented curd. Repeat until done.
• Put into a wide-mouth jar and pull out skewers carefully. Pour wine to cover and sprinkle salt mix on top. Cover in keep in refrigerator. IT will be ready to use in a week and will keep indefinitely.
• NOTE this is highly seasoned. Use small portions. If wine is too strong use salt dissolved in water. It may be made without the spices and just the salt.

MA PO TOFU (SPICY SZECHWAN BEAN CURD)

Steps:

• Place 1 tablespoon of the chopped ginger in a medium-sized bowl, and reserve the remainder.
• Add the remaining marinade ingredients to the bowl (1 sliced spring onion, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, 2 tablespoon of Chinese rice wine, 2 teaspoons cornstarch), and mix well.
• Add the ground beef or pork, give it another stir and set aside for approx 30 minutes.
• Place the tree ears or shiitake mushrooms in small bowl, pour over boiling water, and soak for about 15 minutes until they are soft and gelatinous.
• Drain the soaked tree ears, rinse, remove hard stems, and slice finely.
• Blanch the tofu in boiling water for 2- 3 minutes, then drain.
• Combine the garlic with the reserved ginger, and process together with a stick blender or spice grinder until they form the consistency of a thick paste.
• Heat a wok over a moderately high flame.
• Add the peanut oil, and just as it is starting to smoke, add the garlic/ginger paste and stir-fry, stirring continuously, for approximately 30 seconds.
• Next add the brown bean paste, Szechwan chile paste, water chestnuts and tree ears, and stir-fry for a further minute.
• Give the meat mixture a stir, add it to the wok, and continue to stir-fry over high heat for two to three minutes, until it loses its pinkish color.
• Toss in the tofu and the sliced green onions and continue to toss and fry for about 45 seconds.
• Finally, add the sugar and stir-fry for another 30 seconds.
• Pour in the soy sauce& water, bring to the boil, then reduce heat to moderate and cook for a couple of minutes.
• Add the Szechwan pepper corns and stir thoroughly.
• If there appears to be too much liquid in the wok contents, thicken with a little cornstarch and water.
• Add 1 teaspoon sesame oil and season to taste with salt.
• Serve with steamed rice, and garnish with cilantro.