Mixed Vegetables Tofu

  Mixed Vegetables Tofu

Recipe source : Adapted from Maggi's advertisement from Pearl Magazine


The original recipe uses Maggi's 5-spice chicken-mix. I did not have have that spice mix handy at home so I just substituted the 5-spice mix with my own seasoning ingredients. It turned out fine. 

The hot chilli padi spiced up the sauce and lent a fiery flavour to the bland tofu. I like the crunchy bite of the french beans. It was very appetising to eat this with hot steaming rice. 

This is wholesome home-cooked vegetarian fare. Tasty and nutritious.

Ingredients

1 block soft tofu, cut into pieces
100g french beans, diced
2 dried mushrooms, soaked and diced
1 tsp garlic, chopped
1 tbsp cooking oil
3 chilli padi, sliced                      ( original recipe used capsicum )

Seasoning

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp oyster sauce
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
a dash of pepper

Mix the seasoning with 1 cup of water.

Cornflour Solution

1 tbsp cornflour mixed with 2 tbsp water
 

Method

1.  Heat wok until hot and fry the chopped garlic in hot oil.
2.  Add in mushrooms and french beans. Fry for about 1 minute.
3.  Add in seasoning together with the water. Add in the tofu pieces. Allow to simmer for about 2 to 3 minutes.
4.  Thicken with cornflour solution. 

I am linking this post to Cook-Your-Book #24

Hosted by Joyce of Kitchen Flavours

Tasty Beancurd With Tangy Chilli Dip

Tasty Beancurd With Tangy Chilli Dip

Recipe source :  Amy Beh

For this deep-fried beancurd, it is better to use the semi-soft type of tofu. In Cantonese it is known as 'tau yoon'.  It tastes better. However, you can still use firm tofu if the semi-soft type is not available. The coating of salt, pepper and cornflour makes the exterior fragrant and crusty while the inside is still soft.

I serve this as a vegetarian dish. It is rich in protein.
This can be eaten as a snack at teatime or just anytime!

Ingredients

3 pieces semi-soft tofu, cut into rectangular pieces
A dash of pepper and salt
A dash of black pepper
Some cornflour for coating
Oil for deep frying

Tangy Chilli Sauce

2 tbsp fresh lime juice
1 tbsp fish sauce or soy sauce
1 tbsp Thai chilli sauce
1 tsp chopped garlic
1 tsp chopped chilli padi
1 tbsp sugar, or to taste
1/2 tbsp sesame oil
1 tsp toasted sesame seeds (optional )

Mix everything together and pour into a small bowl.

Method

1.  Wrap tofu with several layers of kitchen towels. Set aside for 10 to 15 minutes. Pat dry to remove liquid. Cut into 6 rectangular pieces. Pat dry again with paper towels.
2.  Sprinkle salt, pepper and black pepper on the tofu pieces. Sprinkle some cornflour to coat them.
3.  Deep fry in hot oil. Drain on paper towels.
4.  Arrange on serving plate and serve with tangy chilli dip.

Stir-fried Mushroom & Tofu

Stir-fried Mushroom & Tofu

Recipe source :  Y3K magazine, Issue No. 57, 11/12-2010 ( by Lydia Fujikawa )

Cooking this dish is truly no fuss and so healthy. You can eat this with white rice but we find this super appetising with plain porridge. Everything is soft and easy on our digestive system! 

Ingredients

150g five-spice tofu, cut into thin slices
150g white shimeji mushrooms, remove the roots
2 tbsp cooking oil

Seasoning

2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp mirin
A pinch of sugar

Method

1.  Heat a frying pan until hot, add oil and fry the tofu slices until slightly brown on both sides.
2.  Remove and set aside.
3.  In the same wok, stir-fry the shimeji mushrooms over high heat until soft.
4.  Add in seasoning and fried tofu slices. Mix well.
5.  Dish up and garnish with chopped spring onion (optional ).

Vegetarian Bak-Kut-Teh 斋肉骨茶

Vegetarian Bak-Kut-Teh 斋肉骨茶

Recipe source :  Adapted from Amy Beh

I wanted to cook this ever since my daughter ordered a vegetarian bak kut teh in an organic food outlet. It smelled wonderful and we could drink the wonderfully fragrant soup without feeling guilty about the fat content. However, it was months later before I came across Amy Beh's recipe  which renewed my interest to cook this dish. 

There were mixed reaction when I served this. My youngest son loves to eat the real bak kut teh. He could recognise the aroma of bak kut teh spices as it was stewing in the pot and the fragrance had permeated the air in my house! I guessed he was anticipating his favourite meaty treat. Boy!, was he disappointed when he discovered that there were no meat at all in the entire pot! 

The final verdict ?  All the men in the family preferred the real thing. Only the ladies accepted this vegetarian version gracefully! 

Ingredients

8 dried mushrooms
80g dried bean curd sticks, cut into sections of 4 cm and soaked until soft
100g Inoki mushrooms
1 piece tofu
20g black fungus, soaked until soft and cut into pieces
1 packet bak kut teh spices
1 star anise
1 piece cinnamon bark ( about 3 cm)
1/2 tsp white peppercorns, slightly crushed
2 big bulbs garlic, slightly smashed with the back of a cleaver.
1.5 litres water
2 tbsp oyster sauce
2 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp dark soy sauce
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp rock sugar
1 small bunch of Chinese parsley

Top left : White peppercorns. Top right : Star anise

Bottom :  Cinnamon bark

 A packet bak kut teh spices. There are two packets inside this package.

I used only one packet which was sufficient for this recipe.

Top : Softened bean curd sticks

Bottom left :  Softened black fungus. Bottom right :  Mushrooms

Tofu and inoki mushrooms

Method

1.  Bring 1.5 litres of water  to a boil. Add in one small packet of bak kut teh spices, garlic bulbs, star anise, cinnamon bark and crushed white peppercorns. 

2.  Add in black soy sauce, light soy sauce, oyster sauce and rock sugar.

3.  When it comes to a boil again, add in the tofu pieces, mushrooms, black fungus and bean curd sticks.

4.  Allow it to simmer for 15 minutes. Add in inoki mushrooms and continue to boil for another 5 minutes.

5.  Add salt to taste.

6.  Lastly add in chopped Chinese parsley and stir to mix well.

7.  Serve hot with rice. 

Don't expect this vegetarian version to be like the real thing.

"Pe-par" Tofu 琵琶豆腐

"Pe-par" Tofu 琵琶豆腐

Recipe : Adapted from Delicacies recipes
         
This "pe-par" tofu is a simple everyday dish. It's just a matter of mashing the nutritious tofu and combining them with minced meat, some herbs and some seasonings and you have got yourself a plate of delicious fried "pe-par" tofu. 

For an enhanced  flavour, dip them into this hot chilli  Vietnamese dipping fish sauce.

The normally bland tofu now tasted heavenly!  

Ingredients

1 block of soft tofu, mashed
2 small dried mushrooms, soaked and finely diced
100g minced pork/chicken
1 tbsp chopped spring onions
1 tbsp chopped Chinese parsley
1 egg
4 tbsp cornflour
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp oyster sauce
a dash of pepper
Oil for frying

Method

1.  Mix the mashed tofu, egg, minced pork, diced mushrooms, chopped spring onion, chopped Chinese parsley and all the sauce ingredients and cornflour together. Stir to mix evenly.
2.  Heat enough oil for frying in a wok. Spoon one tablespoon of the mixture into hot oil and fry until golden. Repeat process until all the mixture is finished. Remove them once they are fried to golden brown.
3.  Serve tofu patties with chilli sauce or try making this wonderful Vietnamese dipping fish sauce.

Lotus Seed Soup (Súp Hạt Sen)

Lotus Seed Soup (Súp Hạt Sen)

Recipe source : Adapted from  VietnameseFood

I normally used lotus seeds for sweet dessert only even though I know it can be used for savoury dishes as well. I find this recipe very interesting as it uses lotus seed to make a savoury soup of shrimp balls, tofu and sliced shitake mushrooms. It's makes a nice change from my routine and today I've learnt another new dish. 

Ingredients 

 
100g lotus seeds
300g fresh shrimps, removed shells
4 shitake mushrooms, soaked and sliced into thin pieces
1 fresh tofu square, cut into cubes
1 egg white
1 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 2 tbsp water
2 shallots, sliced
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sugar

Lotus seeds, mushrooms and tofu

Shrimp paste. Shape this paste into balls

Method

 
1.  Rinse lotus seeds. Add 800ml water and boil until soft. Set aside both the lotus seeds and the liquid.
2.  Use the back of a cleaver to pound the shrimps. Add a little salt and pepper to taste. Add a bit of cornflour to the shrimp paste and mix well. Set aside.
3.  In a large pot, add a little oil and brown the shallots. Add in sliced mushrooms.
4.  Add in the lotus seeds together with the liquid. Bring to a boil.
5.  Add in tofu cubes and shrimp balls.
6.  Add in cornflour solution and keep stirring. Add in the egg white. 
7. Season to taste. 

I am submitting this post to Asian Food Fest  :  Indo China
Hosted by Kelly of Kelly Siew cooks

Pan Fried Tofu With Spicy Sauce 두부부침양념장

Pan Fried Tofu With Spicy Sauce 두부부침양념장

Recipe source :  Maangchi Kim

The sauce is excellent! It complimented the bland tofu very well. The plus point is that it is so simple to prepare this dish yet it is surprisingly so tasty. I should have made more!
I am definitely cooking this again for simple every day meals.

Ingredients

1 piece soft tofu, cut into slices
 Oil for frying tofu

 Soft tofu

Sauce Ingredients

1 clove garlic, minced
1 stalk spring onion, chopped
1 tsp hot chilli flakes
1 tsp sugar
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil

Garnishing

Some chopped spring onion
Some sesame seeds, toasted

Method

1.  Slice soft tofu into smaller rectangles, about 1 cm thick. Use paper towels to absorb the moisture from the tofu pieces.
2.  Heat wok until hot and add cooking oil.
3.  Fry the tofu pieces on both sides until golden brown. Remove the tofu pieces onto a serving dish.
4.  Mix all the sauce ingredients together. Mix evenly.
5.  Pour the sauce ingredients over the fried tofu pieces.
6.  Sprinkle chopped spring onion and toasted sesame seeds on top.
7.  Serve with steaming hot rice. 

I am submitting this post to Asian Food Fest  : Korea

Hosted by Sharon of Feats of Feast

Soondubu Jjigae (soft tofu stew) 순두부 찌개

Soondubu Jjigae (soft tofu stew) 순두부 찌개

Recipe source : Adapted from Maangchi

This hot soupy Korean stew is something different. Be careful though and handle with care because it is bubbling hot. 

My family had this stew together with hot steaming rice and it so happened to be raining heavily when we were having this for dinner. I suppose it enhanced the ambiance to have this steaming hot and spicy stew on a cold rainy day!

Ingredients

12 dried anchovies, remove the guts
10g kelp
1/2 big onion
5 cloves garlic
3 dried mushrooms
100g minced pork
1 cup mixed seafood
1 stalk spring onion, cut into sections of 4 cm
2 red chillies, sliced
2 tbsp hot pepper flakes
2 tbsp cooking oil
2 cubes of soft tofu
2 tsp fish sauce
5 cups water 
1 tsp salt or to taste
2 eggs , optional

Top : dried anchovies

Centre : dried mushrooms

Bottom : kelp

 Mixed seafood

 Minced pork

Prepare the stock

1.  Pour 5 cups of water into a pot and add the anchovies, half a piece of big onion, dried kelp, dried mushrooms and garlic.
2.  Boil over high heat for 10 minutes then reduce the heat to medium low and continue to simmer for about 20 minutes.
3.  Strain the stock and set aside.
4.  Remove the mushrooms and cut into small pieces.

Instructions

1.  Heat an earthen ware pot and add cooking oil.
2.  Stir-fry the minced pork and mushrooms.
3.  Add pepper flakes, keep stirring and add 2 cups of stock.
4.  Add in the seafood and tofu. Break up the tofu into smaller pieces and allow to boil for a while.
5.  Add fish sauce and salt and adjust taste to your preference.
6.  Add in the spring onions and red chillies. 

I am submitting this post to Aspiring Bakers #37 - Korean : The Feast of Hansik (November 2013)

hosted by Grace of Life Can Be Simple 

Stir-fried French Beans With Tofu & Shrimps 四季豆炒虾

Stir-fried French Beans With Tofu & Shrimps 四季豆炒虾

Recipe source :  Doris Choo

Ingredients

250g french beans
1 piece five-spice tofu, cut into thin slices
100g shrimps, with shells removed
3 chilli padi
1 tbsp chopped garlic
1/2 Chinese rice bowl water
4 tbsp cooking oil
1 tsp salt

French beans and chilli padi

Tofu - cut into thin slices

Shrimps

Instructions

1.  Heat up 4 tbsp cooking oil in a wok.
2.  Fry the tofu slices until golden brown. Dish up and set aside.
3.  In the remaining oil in the wok, fry the chopped garlic until fragrant.
4.  Add shrimps and fry until shrimps turn pinkish, then add french beans and stir-fry for 2 minutes.
5.  Add water and fried tofu slices and salt
6.  Continue to cook until almost dry.
7.  Dish up and serve.

I am linking this post to Mich from Piece Of Cake

who is hosting this month's Little Thumbs Up

 

The theme for October 2013 is Soy beans

The event is organised by Zoe of Bake For Happy Kids  and Doreen of My Little Favourite DIY

Miso Soup 日本豆酱汤

Miso Soup 日本豆酱汤

 

Recipe source : Adapted from   Just One Cookbook

Ingredients

1 piece konbu
4 cups water
1 piece soft tofu, cut into small cubes
3 tbsp miso
2 tsp dried wakame

Instructions

1.  Use a damp cloth to wipe clean the konbu. Make a few incisions on the konbu.
2.  Soak konbu in 4 cups of water for 3 hours.
3.  Remove and discard the konbu after soaking. Strain the stock.
4.  Bring the dashi stock to boil. 
5.  Use a ladle and dissolve miso in the ladle before adding into the dashi stock. Make sure the miso is dissolved completely.
6.  Add in tofu cubes. 
7.  Add in soaked wakame.
8.  Ready to serve.

 Miso

 Wakame

Tofu

I am submitting this post to Asian Food Fest  #1 Oct 2013 : Japan

hosted by Alan from Travelling-Foodies

I am linking this post to Mich from Piece Of Cake

who is hosting this month's Little Thumbs Up

 

The theme for October 2013 is Soy beans

The event is organised by Zoe of Bake For Happy Kids  and Doreen of My Little Favourite DIY

Stuffed Tofu Soup 酿豆腐汤

Stuffed Tofu Soup 酿豆腐汤

Recipe source :  Doris Choo


I have been boiling lots of soup lately. The weather was so hot and we really need lots of soup to wash down the food. This is not the type of soup which requires long boiling time. This can be quickly done with tofu, minced pork and shrimp stuffing. I added amaranth greens for a healthier and a more balanced diet.


Just sharing a simple home-style cooking of tofu. 
 

Ingredients 

2 blocks of soft tofu
150g minced pork
100g shrimps, shelled and with veins removed
150g amaranth greens
750ml chicken stock
750ml water
1 tsp salt
dash of pepper

Amaranth greens

 Minced pork

shrimps

Marinade for Minced pork

1/2 tbsp tapioca flour
1 tsp wine
1/3 tsp salt
1/2 tsp soya sauce
dash of pepper

Instructions

1.  Chop the shrimps and mix them with minced pork. 
2.  Add in marinade ingredients to the minced pork and chopped shrimps. Mix well and set aside.
3.  Cut the tofu into smaller blocks. Scoop out some tofu to make a small hollow for stuffing.
4.  Sprinkle some cornflour into the scooped out hollows of the tofu.
5.  Fill the hollows with marinated minced pork mixture.
6.  Place chicken stock and water into a medium-sized pot. Bring to a boil.
7.  Add in the stuffed tofu pieces and amaranth greens.
8.  Let the pot of soup come to a boil again.
9.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

I am linking this post to Mich from Piece Of Cake

who is hosting this month's Little Thumbs Up

 

The theme for October 2013 is Soy beans

The event is organised by Zoe of Bake For Happy Kids  and Doreen of My Little Favourite DIY