Sichuan Tofu - Chinese Recipe

Ingredients:

(Serves 2)

• 10g. wood ear mushrooms
• 3 blocks tofu
• 1-2 stalks scallions/green onions
• 3tbsp. oil
• 1tbsp. chilli bean paste
• 1tsp. salted black beans
• 2tbsp. rice wine
• 1tbsp. light soy sauce
• 1tsp. cornflour mixed with 1tbsp. cold water
• Sichuan pepper, freshly ground to garnish

Preparation:

1. Soak the wood ear mushrooms in water for 20-25 minutes, rinse them clean, discard the hard roots and then drain. if you use dried mushrooms, they should be soaked in hot or warm waterfor at least 30-35 minutes. Squeeze them dry, throw out the hard stalks and cut into small pieces, retaining the water for later use.
2. Cut the tofu into 1cm cubes. Blanch them in a panof boiling water for 2-3 minutes. remove and drain.
3. Cut the scallions/green onionsinto short lengths.

Cooking Method:

1. heat the oil in the hot wok until it smokes and stir fry the scallions/green onions and the wood ear mushrooms for about 1 minute add the salted black beans, crush them with a scooperor spatula and blend well. Add the tofu pieces, the chilli bean paste, rice wine and soy sauce, continuing stirring to blend. Add a little water and cook for 3-4 minutes more. Finally add the cornflour and water mixture to thicken the gravy. Serve hot with frshly ground Sichuan pepper as garnish
   
   

Miso Soup - Japanese Recipe

Ingredients:

• 6c. Kombu-Shiitake stock
• 1 medium onion, cut in a half
• 4 cups Shiitake, thinly sliced
• 2 carrots, thinly sliced into diagonal
• 1-1/2c. chopped kale
• 1 block tofu, cut into small cubes
• 4tbsp. Hatcho miso (or any other dark soy bean miso)

Cooking Method:

1. Combine the stock, onion and shiitake in a 3-quart pot and bring to boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
2. Add the carrots and kale and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes more, or until kale is tender.
3. Dissolve miso in some of the broth and add to the soup. Remove from heat and steep a minute before serving.
   

Ma Po Tofu - Chinese recipe

Ingredients:

• 100gr. minced pork
• 1 cake silken tofu
• 1tsp. salt to taste
• 1tsp. sugar to taste
• 3tbsp. Sichuan spicy bean paste
• 2tbsp. chili powder
• 2tbsp cooking oil
• 3tbsp chili oil
• 1tbsp Sichuan peppercorns (roasted and ground to powder)
• 1tbsp light soy sauce
• 1tsp fragmented black beans (rinsed and pounded)
• 2 stalks of scallions/green onions
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1/2c. water

Cooking Method:

1. Cut the tofu into small pieces, daring the water from the tofu and set aside.
2. Heat up the wok and pour in the cooking oil and chili oil.
3. Add the chopped garlic, minced pork, soy sauce, fragmented black beans and stir fry until aromatic.
4. Add the tofu and water, stir gently to blend the tofu (don't let them break) well with the sauce.
5. Lower the heat and simmer for about 3-5 minutes or until the sauce thickens.
6. Add in the roasted Sichuan Peppercorn powder and chopped scallions/green onions. Gently stir and blend well.
7. Dish out and serve hot.

Stuffed Tofu - Indonesian Recipe

Ingredients:

(Serves 8)

• 4 cakes of tofu, each of them cut into triangle

Filling:

• 150gr minced beef
• 2 carrots, finely chopped
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1/2 tbsp. corn flour
• 1/2 tsp. pepper to taste

Coating:

• 3 tbsp flour
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1/2 tsp. salt to taste

Cooking Method:

1. Heat the oil in the wok and fry the tofu until brown in both sides. Set aside. When they are already cold, scoop out the middle part to make a hole for the filling.
2. Make the filling: in remaining oil, stir fry the onion and garlic. Add the meat, stir well until brown. Then add the carrots. Add some water, just enough to make the carrots tender. Add salt and pper to taste. when it is about to be done, mix corn flour with small water and pour it to the filling to make it thicker. Cook until about 10 minutes or until water is absorbed.
3. Take a spoon of the filling and stuff it into each hole of tofu. Put it aside.
4. Make the coating: Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl. Add a little water.
5. Deep the stuffed tofus into the mixture.
6. Dee fry the stuffed tofus under medium heat until brownish.

Tofu Omelette (Tahu Telor) - Indonesian Recipe

Ingredients:

(Serves 5)

• 8 cakes Chinese tofu, medium size
• 1 tbsp. vegetable oil
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 100g peanuts (peanut butter for substitute)
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 5 bird's eye chillies
• 2tbsp. fermented shrimp paste (petis udang)
• 2tbsp sweet soy sauce
• 100ml water
• 2 stalks parsley, finely chopped

Cooking Method:

1. Slice the tofu into small cubes.
2. Deep fry tofu until half done; remove and set aside.
3. Beat the eggs with salt and add the tofu. Divide the mixture in two.
4. With 1 tbsp, fry the mixture to have a round omelette. Make two omelettes and set aside.
5. Make the sauce: Stir fry the garlic, both types of chillies, remove and set aside.
6. Grind the peanuts (or use peanut butter) with garlic and chillies. Add the shrimp paste, sweet soy sauce and water. Blend until smooth.
7. To serve: Put the omelettes on a round platter and pour the peanuts sauce over. Scatter finely chopped parsley on top.