Chinese Braised Tofu and Pork

• hidangan: 4 servings
• jumlah masa: 30 minutes

Bahan-bahan

1 lb ground pork

1 lb firm tofu

3-5 garlic cloves (diced)

1/2 inch ginger (diced)

3 tsp black bean paste

2 tbsp light soy sauce

2 tsp sugar

1 ½ tbsp dark soy sauce

1/2 tsp white pepper

2 star anise

2-3 cups water

2 eggs

cornstarch

vegetable oil

1/2 cup green onions (diced)

1 tbsp shaoxing wine

1/2 tbsp sesame oil

Arahan

Drain and pat dry tofu. Cut into triangles and coat in egg and cornstarch.

Heat up neutral oil and fry tofu on each side until golden brown. Set aside.

Sauté ground pork in 1 tbsp neutral oil until dry. You want all the liquid to evaporate then add in ginger and garlic and sauté for 2-3 mins.

All the sauces you will need in visual form.

Add black bean paste, light soy sauce, and sugar. Mix well then add in water and deglaze for 3 mins. This helps to loosen and dissolve the browned bits stuck to the bottom.

Add in tofu and cover with lid. Simmer on low for 20 mins.

Add dark soy sauce and white pepper. Adding these seasonings later will allow you to control the color and finish, especially once the sauce has reduced.

Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer and create cornstarch slurry with 1 tbsp cornstarch and 1 tbsp water. Pour it in and let it cook for 2 mins stirring occasionally.

Turn off heat and add shaoxing wine, sesame oil, and green onions. Mix everything. Shaoxing wine and sesame oil is considered aromatic seasonings so adding it last will help keep the umami taste.

Enjoy with a steaming bowl of rice. This pairs well with bok choy or Chinese broccoli and pickled mustard greens. For an authentic touch, you can add a boiled egg to this dish.