Szechuan Vegetables And Tofu Easy One Pan Food

SZECHUAN VEGETABLES AND TOFU | EASY ONE PAN RECIPE

Steps:

• Place the shiitake and the woodear mushrooms in a small bowl. Cover with hot water and let soak.
• Once rehydrated, cut the woodear mushrooms into small pieces.
• Leave the shiitake to continue soaking in the water. We will use this water later in the sauce.
• Chop the spring onions. Separate the white and green part.
• In a wok or sauté pan, heat 2 tablespoons of oil on medium temperature.
• Add the ground cloves (or Szechuan peppercorns), the star anise and the dried red chilli. Roast for about 20 seconds. This will flavour the oil.
• Next add the ginger-garlic paste, chilli paste and white part of the spring onions. Stir fry for another minute.
• Add in the tofu pieces. Stir fry until tofu is slightly crispy on all sides (about 10 minutes).
• Add a little of the shiitake water if the tofu is sticking to the pan.
• Add the carrots and stir fry for about 3 minutes. Add the tomato puree and continue to sauté for 2 - 3 minutes.
• Next add the courgette and bell peppers. Stir fry for another minute.
• Add the Shaoxing wine, balsamic vinegar, a little of the shiitake water and the sugar.
• Dilute the potato starch in the rest of the shiitake water. Add this mixture to the pan and stir immediately. The sauce will thicken quickly.
• Add more water if required to make more sauce.
• Add the soy sauce (3 - 5 tablespoons depending on taste and colour).
• Add the bean sprouts and the rehydrated chopped woodear mushrooms.
• Lastly adjust salt to taste if necessary (or use more soy sauce).
• Garnish with the remaining green spring onions and serve over rice or noodles.

SZECHUAN TOFU AND VEGGIES

Steps:

• Heat oil in a skillet. Season oil generously with salt and pepper. With tofu, I generally use ½ teaspoon kosher salt per ½ pound of tofu. Swirl the seasoned oil around until spread out uniformly. Add tofu and sear on at least two sides, until crispy and golden. Be patient here. Set aside.
• To the same pan, add a little more oil if needed, onion, and mushrooms and sauté over medium-high heat - stirring constantly, until tender, about 3 minutes. Add the remaining veggies, add the dried red chilies if you like -and lower heat to medium, and sauté, tossing & stirring for 3-5 minutes until just tender or al dente. Tender, but vibrant and still slightly crisp!
• Add the Szechuan Sauce, starting with ¼ cup and adding more to taste. If you are cooking more than one batch, you'll need to multiply the sauce accordingly. Cook the sauce 2 minutes, letting it thicken a bit. Toss in the crispy tofu ( or shrimp or chicken) right at the end, just to warm it up.
• Divide among bowls. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and scallions. Add chili flakes for more heat.
• Serve this just as it is, or over rice, or noodles... and remember, do not eat the dried chilis!

CRISPY SZECHUAN-STYLE EGGPLANT AND TOFU

Steps:

• In a shallow dish, combine 2/3 cup of the cornstarch, the salt and pepper. Toss the eggplant pieces in the cornstarch mixture to coat, shaking off the excess; set aside. Repeat the process with the tofu.
• Heat 1/2 inch of the peanut oil in a large, deep, straight-sided skillet over medium heat until it shimmers. Working in batches, cook the eggplant first, tossing gently until golden brown, about 3 minutes on each side. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain. Repeat with the remaining eggplant and the tofu.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the chicken stock, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, lime juice and remaining 2 teaspoons cornstarch.
• Carefully drain the oil from the skillet, and wipe out any residue using paper towels held with tongs. Add 1 tablespoon of peanut oil to the skillet and heat it over medium heat. Add the ginger, about 1 teaspoon of the minced chiles (or to taste) and the garlic. Cook, stirring, until just fragrant, about 30 seconds; pour in the chicken stock mixture and bring it to a simmer. Simmer until slightly thickened, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Add the cooked eggplant and tofu to the skillet and toss gently to combine. Stir in the sesame oil and remove from the heat. Serve immediately over rice and garnished with the remaining minced chiles if desired and chopped cilantro.