tofu Archives - The Steaming Wok

One of the things I miss about China is the plethora of savory breakfast options from soups to dumplings to this spicy tofu that has the perfect mix of spicy, sour, and sweet flavors. As if this wasn’t enough, it is also a mix of textures with crunch from fried wonton skins and peanuts, to the silky smoothness of the tofu. Fresh cilantro and green onions brighten everything up and just seem to draw everything together. Though this looks like a lot of ingredients, it is actually quite easy to throw together and you can modify as you see fit. I can think of nothing better after a night of imbibing. This is my interpretation of a version I used to get at a small Sichuan restaurant near my apartment in Beijing.

Recipe

2 cups of oil for frying peanuts and wonton skins or spring roll wrappers

1 small package wonton skins or spring roll wrappers

2 containers of silken or soft tofu ( 2 lbs)

1 cup raw peanuts

1 bunch green onions

Sichuan preserved vegetables (optional)

1/4 cup Sichuan chili broad bean paste (Chili soy bean paste will also work)

1/3 cup black rice vinegar (Shaoxing vinegar works well too)

2 Tb soy sauce

1 cup chicken broth

4 garlic cloves minced

2 Tb sesame oil

2 Tb sugar

1. Heat the vegetable oil in a small sauce pan or wok until it reaches 350 degrees. You can test the oil by using the tip of a wooden chopstick. If the tip bubbles when inserted into the oil, it’s hot enough. While the oil is heating, make strips from your wonton wrappers or spring roll wrappers that are about 1/2 inch wide.

2. When oil is hot, add wrappers and fry for a minute or two until they are evenly browned and crispy. Drain on paper towels.

3. Add raw peanuts to oil and fry until they are evenly browned. Be careful, this only takes a few minutes and they burn easily. Remove and drain on paper towels.

4. Mix chili bean paste, vinegar, soy sauce, chicken stock, garlic, sesame oil, and sugar.

5. Reserve 1-2 Tb oil from frying the peanuts and heat in a wok. Add the mixed ingredients from step 4 and heat until the sugar has dissolved.

6. Place blocks of tofu into your serving bowls and pour over warm sauce. Garnish with the fried spring roll wrappers and peanuts. Add some chopped spring onions, cilantro, and Sichuan preserved vegetables to taste. Enjoy!

I was fortunate enough this past Thanksgiving to receive a container of homemade cabbage and radish kimchi from one of my mom’s friends in Atlanta. Although this meant making the 11 hour drive back to DC with a bucket of kimchi in the back seat, it was well worth it. Young’s kimchi was pungent with chili and garlic and was perhaps the best kimchi I have had the pleasure of eating. This includes all of the kimchi I sampled last year while in Seoul. I’m still working on getting her secret recipe, but until then, I will share one of my favorite recipes for using kimchi.

Whenever I have an abundance of kimchi I like to make kimchi Jjigae or stew. This works particularly well with kimchi that you have had in your fridge for a while. The more pungent and sour it is, the better.

Korean Kimchi Jjigae

Serves 4

2 tablespoons Sesame oil

1 pound thinly sliced pork belly (this also works well with thinly sliced beef sirloin)

2 tablespoons Korean chili paste

4 cloves garlic thinly sliced

1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced

3 cups cabbage kimchi coarsely chopped – liquid reserved

2 cups chicken broth

1 pound tofu chopped into cubes

5 green onions thinly sliced

Toss meat with chili paste and garlic and let rest for 30 minutes so some of the flavors of the paste can infuse into the meat.
Heat the sesame oil in a pan over medium-high heat until hot and add pork and cook for a few minutes until the meat is browned. Throw in the onions and briefly fry until the onions have softened a bit, the intent here is not to brown the onions but to let them soften a bit.
Add the kimchi, including all the liquid to the pan and stir in chicken broth. Let this mixture simmer for 5-10 minutes.
Add the tofu and let the mixture simmer for an additional 5-10 minutes to ensure that the flavor from the kimchi has permeated the tofu. Taste at this point for salt and pepper. I find that it rarely needs additional salt as the kimchi tends to have enough salt.
Remove from heat and garnish with sliced green onions.

Sichuan Silken Tofu

Kimchi Jjigae (Kimchi Stew)