Soft Tofu and Fish Paste/老少平安

This dish is simple to prepare and it is considered as Mom's cooking. I don't know about other Moms but i do know that my Mom love to cook this and the whole family loved the dish. After the family laid my Mom to rest last year, my brother took us out for lunch and he ordered this dish. It was then that he told me the name of this dish - Lo Sui Ping On.

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Fried Tofu Squares With Beef

What do you really miss/crave when away from your homeland? Do you crave some basic things, that seem small, but their absence is heavily missed. I do and what i missed most is - going to the wet markets and getting all the ingredients to cook. This simple ingredient is tasteless, but delicately flavored--soft soy bricks known as tofu. Here there are two main kinds of tofu, silken or soft tofu, and firm or regular tofu and they are boxed. What i missed most is the kind which is called - SANG FAH in cantonese. They are usually square and has a thin skin layer of the pattern of the muslin cloth used to cover it. In fact, in IPOH, MALAYSIA a city which is popular for the best tofu, even displays the tofu still with the muslin cloth and when you wish to purchase it, then only will the cloth be removed. I don't know if this practice is still there and i hope it is cos they are the best tofu, so smooth and delicate. One bite and you will be in TOFU HEAVEN. IPOH -lites, please tell me that these tofu are still selling in the wet markets.




The recipe for Fried Tofu Squares with Beef is HERE Read More......

Lo Soi Duck

A simple preparation, transformed into a classic treasure by the 'lo soi' which is a stock-sauce or mother sauce, once made, may be kept and used indefinitely, over and over, through the years, replenished by the poultry and . seasonings that are cooked in it. This duck dish has a deep and intense flavor and is an enjoyable meal.


Ingredients:

Mother Sauce:

3 pieces of cinnamon sticks - 3" long

3 pieces eight-star anise

3/4 tsp sichuan peppercorns

3/4 tsp whole cloves

2 tsps fennel seeds

1 whole nutmeg

8 pieces licorice root

1 piece fresh ginger - 3" long, lightly smashed

4 pieces galangal 2" long, lightly smashed

1 1/2 quarts chicken stock

1 1/2 quarts cold water

2 1/2 cups thick dark soya sauce

1 1/2 cups light soya sauce

1/4 cup Mui Kwai/Rose Wine

1 lb rock sugar

1 duck - 5 pounds or more

Method:

To make the mother sauce:

Wrap all the spices, from cinnamon to galangal, in cheesecloth and sew close.

In a large, covered stockpot, bring the water, chicken,spice package and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat, leave the lid cracked, and simmer for 3 hours.

Add the soya sauces, rose wine and rock sugar and raise the heat back to high and bring to a boil. Stir to make certain all ingredients are blended and the sugar is dissolved.

The sauce is ready for use.

To cook the duck with the mother sauce:

Place a rack at the bottom of a large pot. Place the duck on the rack. Pour in the mother sauce. The duck should be completely immersed. Cover the pot, raise the heat to high, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, leave the lid cracked, and simmer for `1 3/4 to 2 hours, turning the duck 2 or 3 times.

Turn off the heat and cover the pot. Allow the duck to rest in the liquid for 30 minutes. Remove the duck, cut into bite-sized pieces and serve warm.

A chicken may be cooked in this as well, with no alteration of the recipe and tofu or hard-boiled eggs can be steeped in this sauce too.

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Pipa Tofu

I love tofu in any form but for those who claim that they hate tofu have a tendency to like this dish which features oval shaped tofu balls. These balls are so called as the shape resembles the "Pipa", a chinese musical instrument. Usually, these balls are deeped fried but i prefer this healthier steamed version. These pictures were taken ahead before the sauce was poured over cos i knew that i will not have the opportunity to take pictures as there were guests present for dinner.

Ingredients:

1 block tofu

1/4 lb shrimp

1/4 lb ground pork

3 - 4 shitake mushroom - soak and chop fine

2 stalks spring onions - chop fine

1 small carrot, chop fine

2 eggs

1 T. cornstarch

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1 tsp sesame oil

Sauce:

1 tbsp soya sauce

1 cup stock

1 tbsp cornstarch paste mix with 1 tbsp water

salt to taste

Method:

1. Drain the tofu and mash it up in a bowl.

2. Wash and peel the shrimp, then throw it in a food processor. Chop it up until you’ve got a sort of pasty consistency. Add the shrimp to the tofu and the rest of the ingredients. Mix well to combine.

3. Grease several chinese soup spoons and fill them with the tofu mixture.

4. Steam the tofu mixture until cooked. Let cool before removing from spoons and place on a platter.

5. Heat stock and soya sauce and when it comes to the boil, add the cornstarch solution and cook until it is cooked through. Adjust taste with salt

6. Pour over steamed tofu and serve hot.

Serves

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Jindo Mock Spareribs

Tofu skin also known as dried beancurd, yuba or bean skim, is a Chinese and Japanese food product made from soybeans. During the boiling of soy milk, in an open shallow pan, a film or skin composed primarily of a soy protein-lipid complex forms on the liquid surface. The films are collected and dried into yellowish sheets known as tofu skin or soy milk skin. Because it is derived directly from soy milk, the name tofu skin is technically inaccurate. Due to it slightly rubbery texture, tofu skin is also manufactured in bunched, folded and wrapped forms that are used as meat substitutes in vegetarian cuisine. Tofu skins can be wrapped and then folded against itself to make doù baō (Chinese: 豆包, literally "tofu package").


Ingredients:

1/2 lb dou bao/tofu package

1/2 lb carrot

Cornflour/tapioca for dusting

2 cups oil

Seasoning

1/4 tsp 5-spice powder

1 tbsp milk powder

1 tsp rice wine

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp sugar

1 tsp soaya sauce

5 tbsp cornflour/tapioca flour

1 tbsp sesame oil

Sauce

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tbsp tomato sauce

1 tbsp sugar

1/2 tsp sesame oil

Method:

Marinate dou bao for at least 20 minutes.

Cut carrot into 1/2 inch x 2 inches x 1 inch.

Cut dou bao into 2 inches strips and wrap it around a piece of carrot. Secure with a toothpick.

Heat oil until hot, dust each vegetarian sparerib with cornflour/tapioca flour and drop into hot oil.

Fry until golden brown.

Garnish with coriander and serve with sauce.

Serves

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Braised Tofu

Tofu is low in calories, contains beneficial amounts of iron and has no saturated fat. It is high in protein and calcium and well known for its ability to absorb new flavors through spices and marinades. Tofu also contains soy isoflavones, which can mimic natural human estrogens and may have a variety of harmful or beneficial effects when eaten in sufficient quantities. Due to its chameleon-like qualities and nutritional value, tofu is a staple of Asian cuisines for hundreds of years.

Ingredients:
2 tbsp. oil

3 tbsp. soya sauce

1 tbsp dark soya sauce

2 tbsp. shaoxing wine

1/2 c. water

1 tsp 5 spice powder

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp sugar

Pepper

1 lb. super firm tofu, sliced 1/2 inch thick

Method:

In a shallow bowl or baking pan, combine all ingredients except tofu.

Mix well and add tofu, cover, and marinate in the refrigerator 4-5 hours.

Turn tofu slices several times while marinating.

After 4 - 5 hours, remove tofu and pour the marinate into a saucepan.

Bring to the boil and add in tofu. Cook until tofu is warm through.

Adjust taste and serve with a sprinkle of sesame oil and chopped spring onions.

Serves

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Spicy Chicken and Tofu Sambal

I had a bag of shallots and they were dying on me. No matter how lazy i was, i had to make use of them and besides, i was running out of sambal. So, i made a batch of Garam Assam Paste. The belacan used stunk the house but to me it was aroma of familiarity.

I am always in seven heaven when i eat dishes cooked with this sambal.

Ingredients:

1 piece of boneless chicken breast - cut into slices

1 pkt of extra-firm tofu - cut into small pieces

2 heaped tbsp of Garam Assam Paste

2 tbsp of liquid tamarind juice

1 tbsp fish sauce

Sugar to taste

Oil for frying

Method:

Heat 4 or 5 tbsp oil and fry the sliced tofu until golden brown.

Remove almost all the oil that is left and add in the sliced chicken. Add in salt and pepper. Do not move the chicken slices until they are browned. Add in a little oil if you must. Flip chicken over and fry the other sides.

Add in the garam assam paste and the fried tofu. Stir to combine.

Add in tamarind juice and a little water and cook until chicken is cooked through.

Add in fish sauce.

Adjust taste with sugar.

Serve hot with white rice

Serves

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