Kung pao tofu
4 servings
Ingredients
| Quantity | Ingredient | |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | tablespoons | Rice vinegar |
| 1 | tablespoon | Brown sugar |
| 3 | tablespoons | Soy sauce |
| 2 | tablespoons | Chinese sesame oil |
| ½ | To 1 ts crushed red pepper | |
| ¾ | pounds | Very firm tofu cut in bite size cubes |
| ½ | cup | Minced onion |
| 2 | larges | Or 3 sm celery stalks cut in small dice |
| 1 | medium | Carrot; cut in small dice |
| ½ | cup | Bamboo shoots cut in small dice |
| 1 | cup | Peas; fresh if possible |
| ½ | cup | Diced water chestnuts |
| 1 | cup | Lightly toasted cashews |
| 4 | mediums | Garlic cloves; minced |
| 6 | Scallions; whites only cut in 1/2\" pieces | |
| 2 | smalls | Or 1 md zucchini cut first in thin strips then into small dice |
| 1½ | tablespoon | Cornstarch |
| 2 | tablespoons | Peanut oil or |
| 2 | tablespoons | Chinese sesame oil for sauteing |
| ½ | teaspoon | Salt |
| 1 | cup | Peanuts; preferably roasted and unsalted |
| 2 | Cakes tofu kan or 5-spice tofu | |
Directions
VARIATION (SAUTEED TWELVE
AFTER ADDING TOFU, ADD
In a medium-sized bowl combine vinegar, sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil and red pepper; mix to combine. Add the diced tofu, and tip the bowl in each direction to allow all the tofu to come into contact with the marinade. Cover, and let marinate for at least an hour.
Prepare the onion, celery, carrot, and bamboo shoots and place these together in a bowl. Set aside.
In a separate bowl combine peas, garlic, scallions and zucchini; set aside.
About 15 minutes before serving time, place the cornstarch in a small bowl. Drain the marinade from the tofu into the bowl. Whisk this mixture until the cornstarch dissolves. Set aside, leaving the whisk in the bowl.
Heat a medium-sized wok. Add 2 tb. peanut oil or sesame oil. When it is hot, add the bowlful of onions, celery, etc. and the salt, and stir-fry over high heat for about 5 minutes.
Add the second bowlful of vegetables (peas, garlic, etc.) and stir-fry another 2 to 3 minutes, keeping the heat high.
Add the drained tofu. Stir-fry another 3 to 5 minutes--until all the vegetables are *just* tender.
Whisk the cornstarch mixture from the bottom and pour it in. Stir-fry several more minutes, then add the peanuts. Serve immediately, over rice.
Yield: 4 to 6 servings.
From _Still Life with Menu_ by Mollie Katzen. From: scregger@... (Sheri Cregger) in rec.food.veg.cooking.
Formatted by Cathy Harned.
Submitted By CATHY HARNED On 12-01-94