Basic stir-fried bean curd

4 Servings

Quantity Ingredient
4 Cakes bean curd
1 Scallion stalk (up to)
4 tablespoons 0il
¼ teaspoon Salt
2 tablespoons Soy sauce
¼ teaspoon Salt

1. Cut each bean curd cake in 6 to 8 pieces or in 1-inch cubes. Cut scallion stalk in 1-inch sections.

2. Heat oil. Add salt; then scallion, and stir-fry a few times until translucent. Add bean curd; stir-fry gently until heated through (2 to 3 minutes).

3. Sprinkle with soy sauce and remaining salt and stir in gently.

NOTE: Since bean curd is fragile, vigorous stir-frying will demolish it.

Therefore shake or tilt the pan from time to time to baste the bean curd with hot oil; or else separately turn the pieces so they can heat through evenly. VARIATIONS:

1. For the soy sauce, substitute oyster sauce.

2. Use 4 or 5 whole scallions, cut in 1-inch lengths.

3. Before serving, sprinkle bean curd with a few drops of sesame oil; or garnish with minced raw scallion.

4. With Chinese sausage: Steam 4 Chinese sausages 15 minutes; then slice thin. Add to heated oil in step 2 and brown lightly; then stir-fry scallion and bean curd.

5. With mushrooms (fresh): In step 2, add after the scallion, ¼ pound fresh mushrooms, sliced, and stir-fry until slightly softened. Then add the bean curd and continue as in steps 2 and 3.

6. With mushrooms (dried): After step 2, add 10 dried black mushrooms (soaked), sliced, the soy sauce and ½ teaspoon sugar. Then gently stir in ½ cup of the mushroom-soaking liquid or stock. Bring to a boil and simmer, covered, 5 minutes over medium heat.

7. With roast pork: In step 2, add after the scallion, ¼ cup roast pork, sliced or diced, and stir-fry a few times. Then add the bean curd and continue as in steps 2 and 3.

8. With shrimp: In step 2, add after the scallion ¼ cup raw shrimp, shelled, deveined and cut in 1-inch pieces; stir-fry until pinkish. Then add bean curd and continue as in steps 2 and 3.

From <The Thousand Recipe Chinese Cookbook>, ISBN 0-517-65870-4. Downloaded from Glen's MM Recipe Archive, .

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