Crystallized Ginger Tofu Food

CRYSTALLIZED GINGER

Steps:

• Place ginger in a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Add enough water to cover by 1 inch. Partially cover saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat; boil until ginger is almost cooked through but still slightly al dente, about 1 hour. Drain.
• Weigh cooked ginger and return it to saucepan with an equal amount of sugar. Add 2 tablespoons water; bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring, until ginger becomes translucent, about 20 minutes.
• Reduce heat and continue cooking, stirring, until ginger is crystallized and begins to clump in the middle of the pan.
• Meanwhile, sprinkle a large rimmed baking sheet with sugar. Pour crystallized ginger onto prepared baking sheet and roll in sugar, separating pieces. Transfer to a sterilized jar and store in a cool place for 3 to 6 months.

CRYSTALLIZED-GINGER TOFU

Steps:

• In a shallow dish, combine flour, salt and black pepper.
• Dredge tofu in the seasoned flour; shake off excess.
• In a large wok or skillet over medium-high heat, cook garlic in hot oil about 10 seconds. Add tofu and stir-fry 2 to 3 minutes, or until light golden.
• Remove tofu to a plate.
• Add broth, ginger, soy sauce and sweet potato to the wok and bring to a boil.
• Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer 10 minutes, or until potato is just tender.
• Return broth to a boil.
• Add green pepper and tofu and cook, stirring, 2 minutes or until tofu is just cooked through and sauce has thickened slightly.
• Sprinkle with cilantro.

LEMON-GINGER CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• For crust:
• Preheat oven to 325°F. Generously butter 10-inch-diameter springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides. Double-wrap outside of pan with heavy-duty foil. Blend ground cookies, sugar, and ginger in processor. Add melted butter and process until moist crumbs form. Press mixture onto bottom and 1/2 inch up sides of prepared pan. Bake until crust sets, about 10 minutes. Cool. Maintain oven temperature.
• For filling:
• Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese in large bowl until fluffy. Beat in sugar, scraping down sides of bowl occasionally. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in sour cream and whipping cream, then crystallized ginger, fresh ginger, lemon juice, and lemon peel.
• Pour filling into crust. Place springform pan in large roasting pan. Pour enough boiling water into roasting pan to come 1 inch up sides of springform pan. Bake cheesecake until filling is set and golden brown on top (cake will rise slightly above edge of pan), about 1 hour 25 minutes. Turn off oven and prop open oven door with wooden spoon. Let cake stand in oven 1 hour (cake will fall).
• Remove springform pan from water bath. Remove foil and cool cheesecake completely on rack. Cover and refrigerate overnight. (Can be prepared ahead and refrigerated 4 days or frozen up to 2 months. Defrost frozen cake overnight in refrigerator.) Release pan sides from cheesecake. Transfer cheesecake to platter. Arrange lemon slices decoratively around cake and serve.

PINEAPPLE-GINGER CRUMB CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-inch springform pan, a 9-by-2-inch round cake pan or a 9-inch square metal pan. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper and butter the paper.
• Prepare the pineapple: In a skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add pineapple, brown sugar, allspice and salt, and sauté until pineapple chunks are glossy and lightly browned in spots, 7 to 15 minutes. Set aside to cool.
• Make the crumb topping: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, brown sugar, almonds, candied ginger, ground ginger, cinnamon and salt. Stir in melted butter, pinching the mixture with your fingers, until 1/2-inch crumbs form. Set aside.
• Make the cake: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
• Using an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a handheld electric mixer and a large bowl, beat butter and sugar at medium speed until creamy and smooth, about 2 minutes. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until incorporated, then beat in rum and lime zest. Scrape the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
• On low speed, beat in half of the flour mixture until smooth, then beat in the sour cream, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in remaining flour just until incorporated.
• Scrape batter into prepared pan. Scatter cooled pineapple evenly across the surface of the cake. Top with ginger crumb mixture.
• Bake until the center of the cake springs back when lightly touched and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few crumbs, 45 to 60 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool before serving.

CRYSTALLIZED OR CANDIED GINGER

Steps:

• Cut ginger into 2-inch pieces and slice lengthwise into 1/8-inch slices. Score ginger slices by pricking with a fork.
• Toss ginger with sugar in a bowl.
• Combine ginger-sugar mixture and water in a large skillet or wok; bring to a simmer. Reduce heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until sugar melts into a syrup and starts to crystallize, about 1 hour. Continue stirring until syrup is mostly crystallized and ginger comes together in a pile in the center of the skillet and very little syrup drains out; remove from heat.
• Toss ginger slices gently to cool and separate from excess sugar. Spread slices out on a tray to cool and dry.