Iron Chef Chinese Chef Chens Mapo Tofu Food

IRON CHEF CHINESE - CHEF CHEN'S MAPO TOFU

Steps:

• Cut tofu into 1 inch cubes. Heat enough water in a large saucepan, add 1/2 teaspoon salt and tofu pieces. Bring to boil and cook tofu on medium high heat for 8 to 10 minutes and remove from heat. Precooking tofu in water prevents tofu from breaking apart easily later. Set aside.
• While tofu is cooking, make cornstarch paste by mixing 1 T cornstarch and 1 T water. Set aside.
• Set wok on high heat for 1 minute until hot. Add 2 T vegetable oil and swirl the pan, then add ground pork, stirring to separate.
• When ground pork is browned, add Chinese brown bean sauce ie tenmenjan, tenmienjan, or tenmenjiang, Chinese chili bean sauce ie toubanjan or doubanjiang, fermented black beans, and ichimi tougarashi or minced dried red chili pepper. Continue to cook for 1 minute.
• Add chili oil, drained tofu pieces, chicken stock, garlic chives, soy sauce, and sake. Stir fry gently for 1-2 minutes.
• Add cornstarch paste to thicken and add sesame oil. Swirl gently and cook for another 3-4 minutes on medium high heat. Sprinkle Szechuan peppercorn on top.
• Serve with steamed white rice.

MAPO TOFU WITH SHRIMP JAPANESE-SICHUAN STYLE

Steps:

• PREPARATION.
• In a cup add the salted black beans (rinse briefly in water to remove some of the salt) and then add 1-2 tablespoon dry sherry or substitutes. Then add grated ginger, chopped garlic and soak for 15 or more minutes, set aside.
• In a bowl add the ground meat and 1 tablespoon soy sauce and mix, set aside.
• In a cup add stock, Amoy Sichuan Spicy Noodle Sauce, chili paste with garlic, set aside.
• In a cup add the 2 tablespoons tapioca starch and 4 tablespoons water, mix and set aside.
• Cut up the FIRM tofu into bite size cubes, place in a pot of low boiling water, add 1 teaspoon salt and cook for 7 minutes, drain and set aside.
• For the Chinese Chives, discard the buds/flowers (some like to use this), wash the Chives and then cut into small 1 inch pieces ( ¾ cup), set aside, (or if using spring onions/scallions, wash and clean then cut into small pieces).
• Place the cleaned shrimp in a boil, add 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon vinegar, toss and let sit for about 15 minutes, set aside.
• COOKING DIRECTIONS.
• In a wok (or Teflon pan) add the peanut oil and when hot add the salted black bean mixture, stir for 1 minute.
• Add the ground pork (or other meat) and stir to break up the pieces for about 1 minute.
• Next add the stock mixture, stir and bring to a boil.
• Add the tofu, chives and gently toss (try not to break up the tofu), cover and let cook for 2 or more minutes, remove the cover and gently toss again, cover and let cook for 1 more minutes. (Further, if substituting spring scallions in place of chives, add at the same time the sesame oil is added).
• Mix the tapioca starch and water, remove the cover and then add ½ of the mixture and at the same time stir gently until the sauce becomes thick (add more of the tapioca mixture as needed).
• Add the shrimp (discard liquid), toss gently and cook until it has a pink coloring (do not over cook).
• Add sesame oil, briefly toss gently... now you are almost finished.
• In individual plates add some white rice and then the shrimp/black bean tofu sauce on the side or on top.
• Enjoy.
• NOTES:.
• This recipe is fairly mild in taste. However, you can add chili oil, chili peppers or other hot spices to taste.
• The Amoy Sichuan Spicy Noodle Sauce (fermented salted soybean, chili, garlic) is a great ingredient for this spicy dish or use other types of bean sauces (like Japanese miso paste, Chinese brown bean sauce) found in Asian food stores.
• Serve with white or other rice of your choice.