Here’s another Asian culinary that I have learned to make. I am grateful to learnt this from an old friend. It’s a healthy meal she serves it at home during Chinese New Year. I am glad she invited me to join her and family, so I ask her to teach me.

Eating tofu is healthy and also gives you longevity life. Did you ever wondered why Japanese people live till 100+? They have a lot of tofu, protein. It is also a valuable plant source of iron and calcium and the minerals manganese and phosphorous.

Google: Tofu is bean curd, “is a food prepared by coagulating soy milk and then pressing the resulting curds into solid white blocks of varying softness; it can be silken, soft, firm, or extra firm”. 

I love tofu and I am sharing this sweet and sour tofu with you. If you have not taken it before try the firm and fried one first. Then gradually go for the soft bean curd. It actually has no taste just by adding other ingredients in when cooking it does gives it a taste better.

I am happy that it did turn out tasty when stir fry with vegetables. I serve it with rice and a meat dish my mother cook. This can be a vegetarian meal without my mother’s meat dish. Let’s cook!!!!

Ingredients

1 block firm tofu (14 ounces)
about 1/4 cup flour
pinch salt
5 Tbs olive oil
2 Tbs soy sauce
2 Tbs fresh lime juice
60 ml Shao Xing Chinese cooking wine
5-6 Tbs white vinegar
5-8 Tbs sweet chilies sauce (if can’t take chilies, put 2 tsp)
5 Tbs sugar
225 g Bok Nee (Black fungus), soaked in hot water about 4 hrs until soft and expand
2 stalks celery cut across into 1/2 cm slices
1 small tin of bamboo shoot, thinly slice long square shape
1 Tbs finely chopped fresh ginger
1 Tbs grated garlic (3 cloves)
1/4 Tsp salt

Method

Drain the water out of tofu, then cut them into 1-inch long square. In a wide plate, toss the tofu with the flour and salt until all the pieces have a thin coating. In a frying pan, warm the oil. In one layer, brown the tofu (in two batches if your pan is small), about 4 minutes per side. Remove onto a paper towel plate, then fry the second batch.

When all are done. Return all the tofu to the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly on medium heat. Turn off hob let sit there for a minute or two minutes.

Meantime combines soy sauce, lime juice, Shao Xing, white vinegar, sweet chilies and sugar in a large saucepan. Bring to the simmer over medium heat about 3 minutes till sugar dissolved. Add bamboo shoot, garlic, ginger, salt to taste. When caramelized and cook about 2 minutes. Then add to tofu.

Bring the tofu mixture to a simmer on lower heat until the sauce has reduced and coats the tofu thickly, about 5 minutes. Serve with cooked rice. Enjoy!!!!!

https://helenscchin.com/2015/01/08/sweet-and-sour-tofu-with-vegetables/

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