SZECHUAN STYLE BEAN CURD RECIPES

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.

Steps:

• "1. Drain the tofu and cut it into l-inch cubes. Set aside. paste, garlic. gingerroot, sherry, and soy sauce together in a side. Combine the red pepper and ground peppercorns together small dish. Set aside. 2. Heat the oil in a wok or stir-fry pan over medium-hig but not smoking. Stir fry the ground meat until it separate into small pieces. Add the hot bean sauce mixture and stir a few time. Add the broth or water and pepper mixture and stir a few times to mix. Add the tofu. Stir gently to combine and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for about 5 to 6 minutes to reduce the liquid by about a quarter. 3. Add the cornstarch slurry and stir until the sauce is thickened. Pour onto a serving platter and sprinkle with scallions and sesame seed oil. Serve hot. "