Bamboo Shoots With Bean Curd Food

BEAN CURD HOME STYLE: MEAT-FREE AND DELICIOUS

Steps:

• Boil the rehydrated bean curds in water for about 10 min (or according to the package instructions).
• Mix soy/ doubanjiang sauce, honey, chili flakes, pepper, garlic, and ginger in a separate bowl.
• Pat the boiled curds dry and cut them into 2-in long strips.
• Bring the sesame oil to medium heat in a frying pan or wok. Add the curd strips and fry for 2-3 min, until lightly golden. Then add the spice mix and bamboo shoots and fry for another 2-3 min, until fragrant. Done, the home-style tofu is ready to serve!

SPINACH AND BEAN CURD SOUP (GUN)

Steps:

• Blanch spinach in boiling water for 1 minute; rinse in cold water, squeeze dry and chop fine.
• Bring stock to a boil; add chicken, bamboo shoots, mushrooms and bean curd; thicken with dissolved cornstarch.
• Add spinach, bring to a boil; add salt and pepper, stir until well blended.
• Sprinkle ham on top; garnish with chopped cilantro and serve.

DEEP-FRIED BEAN CURD WITH PORK AND VEGETABLES

Steps:

• Cut each cake of bean curd into 4 cubes, and deep-fry the pieces in oil, heated to 375 degrees, about 5 minutes, or until golden. (When adding bean curd to hot oil, do so gently, using the lid of the wok as a shield to protect yourself from any spattering oil.) Remove the bean curd, drain, cool, and cut into 1/8-inch julienne strips. Set aside. Cut the pork into similar strips, and mix with the next 5 ingredients. Cut the bamboo shoots, celery and ham into similar strips. Soak mushrooms 15 minutes in warm water, discard the stems and cut into similar julienne strips. Mince garlic. Mix cornstarch solution with the next 3 ingredients.
• Using high heat, heat a wok, add the oil, salt and garlic, and stir-fry 10 seconds.
• Add pork, and stir-fry 2 minutes.
• Add bean curd, bamboo shoots, celery and mushrooms, and stir-fry 10 seconds.
• Add stock, cover and boil 2 minutes.
• Add cornstarch solution, stir until thickened, remove from heat, and serve, garnished with Smithfield ham.

BAMBOO SHOOTS WITH BEAN CURD

Steps:

• squeeze out water from mushrooms and finely slice them.
• blanch bok choy in pot of boiling water for 30 seconds, drain and set aside.
• heat enough oil in wok to deep fry the bean curd cubes, fry until golden brown, remove, drain on paper towel and set aside.
• remove oil from wok, and add 1 tablespoon of oil, heat until hot.
• add mushrooms, bok choy, stir.
• add bean curd, bamboo shoots, oyster sauce, and soy sauce.
• heat through.
• add pinch of black pepper, and serve.

BUDDHA'S DELIGHT

Steps:

• Soak mushrooms in 5 cups boiling-hot water in a bowl, keeping them submerged with a small plate and turning mushrooms over occasionally, until softened and cool enough to handle, about 30 minutes. Squeeze excess liquid from caps back into bowl and reserve liquid, then cut out and discard stems from mushrooms. Cut caps into 1-inch wedges.
• While mushrooms soak, carefully break bean curd skins in half crosswise, then halve each portion crosswise again. Transfer to a bowl, then add enough boiling-hot water to cover and soak, turning occasionally, until softened, about 30 minutes.
• If using fresh bamboo, trim bottoms of shoots, then halve shoots lengthwise with a sharp heavy knife. Pull off and discard leaves from shoots, then remove any blemishes with a sharp paring knife (don't worry about natural dotted pattern along base of shoots).
• Cover fresh or frozen bamboo with cold water by 1 inch in a 2-quart saucepan and bring to a boil. Boil 2 minutes, then drain in a colander and rinse under cold water. Repeat boiling and rinsing, then arrange bamboo halves, cut sides down, on a cutting board and cut bamboo lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices.
• Soak noodles in cold water to cover until softened, about 5 minutes, then drain in colander and transfer to a bowl.
• Drain bean curd skins in colander. When cool enough to handle, squeeze dry and cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces.
• Halve tofu lengthwise, then cut each half crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices.
• Heat oil in a 5- to 6-quart wide heavy pot over moderate heat until hot but not smoking. Add ginger and garlic and cook, stirring, 30 seconds. Add mushrooms, bean curd skins, bamboo, and ginkgo nuts and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Stir in oyster sauce, soy sauce, rice wine, and sugar and simmer 1 minute. Add reserved mushroom-soaking liquid and bring to a boil. Gently stir in tofu and soybean sprouts, then reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, 15 minutes. Gently stir in noodles and simmer, covered, 5 minutes. Add romaine hearts (pot will be full) and turn to coat, then simmer, covered, until romaine is tender, about 5 minutes.