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
   
   

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.

Chinese Fried Rice

Ingredients:

(2 servings)

• 6 tbsp. peanut or vegetable oil
• 2 eggs
• 2 spring onions/scallions
• 1/2c. fresh shrimp, shelled, deveined and diced
• 4c. cold, cooked rice (long-grain rice)
• 1/2c. cooked peas
• 1/4c. canned bamboo shoots
• 1/4c. cup diced cooked pork with char sui (preferably)
• 2 tbsp. soy sauce

Cooking Mehod:

1. Heat 2 tbsp. of the oil.
2. Beat egg and lightly. add 1/2 tbsp. salt and scramble in oil. remove eggs and set aside.
3. Heat remaing 4 tbsp. of oil.
4. Add spring onions/scallions and shrimp and dash of salt. Cook until shrimp cooks thru (pink).
5. Use your hands or wooden spoon to break up cooked rice.
6. Add rice to shrimp. Stir until rice is heated and grains are seperated.
7. Add all the rest of theingredients, except soy sauce.
8. Stir until heated through and well mixed.
9. Sprinkle soy sauce over rice, and mix evenly.
10. Salt and pepper, to taste.