HOMESTYLE BRAISED TOFU

• doses: SERVES 4 TO 6

Ingredientes

3 large dried shiitake mushrooms, or ¼ ounce (7 grams) dried wood ear mushrooms

Boiling water

Kosher salt

14 to 16 ounces (390 to 450 grams) medium-firm tofu, cut into ½-inch-thick slices

½ teaspoon potato starch or cornstarch

Vegetable oil, for frying

1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh ginger

2 scallions, white parts cut into 1-inch segments, green parts thinly sliced and reserved for garnish

1½ tablespoons Sichuan chili bean paste

1 teaspoon soy sauce

1¼ cups (300 mL) unsalted stock of any kind or water

½ teaspoon sugar

½ cup thinly sliced (4-inch) carrot (cut into semicircles or diamonds)

½ cup snow peas or green pepper, cut to match the carrot

Instruções

In a small bowl, soak the shiitake mushrooms in boiling water for 20 minutes. Drain, snip off and discard the stems, and halve the caps.

In a wok or saucepan, bring a few cups of generously salted water to a boil. Add the tofu slices and let soak for 3 to 5 minutes, then remove and blot dry with a clean tea towel.

Combine the starch with 1 tablespoon cold water in a small bowl.

Heat ½ Cup oil in a wok or skillet, or enough to cover the pan's bottom by about ½ inch. When the oil is hot and shimmering, slide in as many tofu pieces as will fit in a single layer on the surface. Don't move the tofu until a golden crust develops on one side, about 4 minutes. Flip and cook on the other side for about 3 minutes, transfer to a paper towel-lined plate, and repeat until all the tofu is golden brown, crispy, and slightly puffy. Transfer the frying oil to a heatproof container for another use, reserving 1 tablespoon in the wok.

Return the wok to medium-high heat. Stir-fry the shiitake mushrooms, garlic, ginger, and scallion whites until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Push the aromatics to one side of the wok, then add the chili bean paste and stir-fry briefly to release its flavor. Add the soy sauce, stock, and sugar, and stir to combine. When the liquid is bubbling, add the fried tofu and carrot. Cover the wok and cook gently for 3 to 4 minutes to allow the tofu to absorb the flavors.

Uncover and add the snow peas. Return the heat to high and cook, stirring, until the liquid has reduced. Taste and adjust the flavors, adding more salt as needed, Give the starch slurry a stir and add it gradually to the wok, stirring continuously for 30 seconds, until the sauce is slightly thickened and clings to the tofu. Remove from the heat and stir in the scallion greens. Transfer to a dish and serve.

Notas

Before stir-frying tofu, Chinese cooks will often pan-fry or shallow-fry it to develop a golden skin-the puckered surface makes it more fla- vorful, and the interior becomes spongier, soaking up the sauces in the wok. The Sichuan version of this homestyle dish uses spicy chili bean paste (doubanjiang) to lend a spicy aroma and coat the tofu in a deep-red slick of flavor, but an equal amount of fermented soybean paste, vegetarian oyster sauce, or preserved black beans serve the same savory-boosting function. Feel free to replace the dried wood ear or shiitake mushrooms with a handful of thinly sliced fresh mushrooms.