BEAN CURD VS TOFU RECIPES

Steps:

• Take a large sealable container, such as a tupperware or plastic food storage container with a fitted lid.
• In this, mix together the white vinegar, water and stinky fermented bean curd until you have a consistent liquid.
• Place your tofu, chopped into chunks of around 1 in square, into the liquid, seal, and refrigerate for 24 to 48 hours. The longer you store it, the stronger the flavour will be.
• Remove the tofu chunks from the liquid and drain them thoroughly.
• Heat the oil in a wok, and fry your tofu chunks until the surface is golden. Place them to one side on a plate.
• Now fry the garlic until it becomes fragrant, and then add the oyster sauce, fennel powder and half a cup of water.
• Bring it to the boil, then add the tofu chunks back into the wok and simmer for one minute.
• Add chopped parsley and serve.

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.