Spicy Tofu with Minced Meat

We loved tofu very much.  It is a versatile ingredient with many health benefits.  It is an excellent source of amino acids, iron, calcium and other micro-nutrients.  The dish is like ‘Mapo tofu’ (a Sichuan dish) but it is not so strong and spicy.  It is because we cannot eat too hot and spicy.  Then I modified the recipe a bit but I still use the chili bean sauce to add some flavor.

I tried some doubanjiang (chili bean sauce) in different brand names during the past few years.  I found the taste is not so good until I found the following one (the red plastic bottle on the left hand side  shown in the second picture).  This one was highly recommended by my cookery teacher one year ago.  It is tasty and not too strong after adding it into the dish.  It is easy to buy in Chinese supermarkets.  If you like more hot and spicy, you add Sichuan peppercorns or chili oil.  

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 10 minutes

Serve: 2

Ingredients:

-        160g minced pork

-        ½ tbsp oil

-        2 pieces soft/silken tofu (cubed)

-        ½ red chili (chopped)

-        1 garlic clove (shredded)

-        1 tbsp doubanjiang/chili bean sauce

-        ½ tbsp. spring onion (chopped)

-        ½ tsp chili oil (optional)

Seasoning:

-        1 tsp soy sauce

-        ½ tsp sugar

-        ½ tsp sesame oil

-        a pinch of ground black pepper   

Sauce:

-        ½ tsp sesame oil

-        ½ tsp soy sauce

-        ½ tsp sugar

-        ½ tsp corn flour

-        1 tbsp water

-        a pinch of white pepper

Method:

1.	Marinate the minced pork with sugar, sesame oil, black pepper and soy sauce.
2.	Heat oil in a non-stick saucepan over medium heat.  Add garlic cloves and minced meat into the saucepan.  Use a wooden spoon to break the minced meat up and stir-fry for 2 minutes.
3.	Toss in the doubanjiang/chili bean sauce into the minced meat and keep stir-fry for another 2 minutes.  Pour in 150g water and soft tofu, toss to coat the sauce over the tofu and then covered for 5 minutes.
4.	Mix the sauce ingredients in a small bowl.  Pour over the sauce and spring onion and simmer for 1-2 minutes until sauce thickens slightly.  It is optional to add 1-2 tsp chili oil for more hot and spicy flavor.
5.	Serve with rice.

Vietnamese Rice-cake (BÁNH CUỐN)

It is quite cool this morning.  Autumn is here and leaves are falling down.  The sky is so clear.  I go outside and walk around for a while.  It is a perfect day to take a walk in the park.  Some people are jogging, some are running and some walk their dogs with friends.  I feel relaxed and calm.  Then I think of making this healthy, simple and mouth-watering dish for lunch.

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 20 minutes

Serve: 1

Ingredients:

- 4 pieces of rice-paper

-  25g onion (finely chopped)

- 3g pre-shredded black fungus

- 60g minced pork

-1 garlic clove (finely chopped)

-30g carrot (finely chopped)  

-½ shallot (finely chopped)

- 20g rice vermicelli 

- 1 tsp olive oil

-3 tbsp water

-¼ tsp salt

-¼ tsp dried coriander leaves (or fresh minced coriander leaves)

Seasoning:

n  ½ tsp sesame oil

n  1 tsp soy sauce

n  ½ tsp sugar

n  a pinch of ground black pepper

Nuoc Cham (Vietnamese Dipping Sauce):

n  1 tbsp Thai fish sauce

n  2 tbsp sugar

n  3 tbsp drinking water

n  ¾ tbsp lime sauce

n  ⅓ small red Thai chili (minced)

n  ½ garlic clove (minced)

Method:

1.	Season the minced pork with sugar, sesame oil, black pepper and soy sauce.
2.	Soak the black fungus in 100g hot water for 15 minutes until tender.  Discard the water and then finely chopped the black fungus.
3.	To cook the filling, add oil in a non-stick pan over medium heat.  Put the garlic, carrot, black fungus, shallot, onion, salt and 3 tbsp water into the pan and stir-fry for 1-2 minutes.  Then add the minced pork and coriander leaves, and stir-fry for another 5 minutes.  Set aside to cool.
4.	Mix all the ingredients of Nuoc Cham in a small bowl to prepare the dipping sauce.
5.	Boil 200g water in a small pan and add a pinch of salt.  Put the rice vermicelli into the boiling water over medium heat and simmer for 3 minutes until tender.  Use the chopsticks or a fork to stir occasionally.  Drain well.  Divide the rice vermicelli into four equal portions.
6.	Soak a piece of rice paper in warm drinking water until a bit tender.  Place the rice paper on a board or a big plate.
7.	Wrap the rice cake in square shape: Divide the filling into four equal portions, put one portion in the middle of a rice paper.  Place one portion of rice vermicelli on top of the filling.  Fold the bottom part of the rice paper to cover the rice vermicelli. Then fold the two sides towards the middle.  Turn the upper side to close the rice cake.
8.	Garnish with spring onion and sesame oil.  Ready to serve.

Fried Okra with minced pork

Okra is originally from Africa and known as lady’s fingers in most English-speaking countries.  It is now widely used in cuisines such as Caribbean, Creole, Cajun and Indian. It has long been favored as a food for the health-conscious. It contains potassium, vitamin B, vitamin C, folic acid, and calcium. Also it is low in calories and has high dietary fibre content.  After I bought a pack of salted and crispy okra, I cannot stop eating this healthy “veggie chips” as snack.  I bought a pack of fresh okra yesterday and stir-fry with minced meat.  It tastes so good.  If you are a vegetarian, you can stir-fry it with mushroom.

Ingredients:

l  ½ onion

l  180g minced pork

l  140g okra

l  40g red pepper

l  2 garlic cloves

l  ½L water

l  ½ tbsp oyster sauce

Seasoning:

l  2 tsp soy sauce

l  1tsp sugar

l  ½ tsp corn flour

l  1/8 tsp black pepper

1.	Season minced pork with soy sauce, sugar, corn flour and black pepper.
2.	Boil water in a small saucepan.  Add okra into the boiling water for 2 minutes. Drain and cut the okra into pieces.  Set aside.
3.	Add oil into a pan or wok over medium heat. Add garlic, onion and red pepper into the pan or wok.  Fry for 2 minutes.
4.	Meanwhile, add the minced pork into the pan or wok.  Use a spatula to break the minced pork and stir fry for another 2 minutes.
5.	Reduce heat to medium low; pour water into the pan or wok.  Add the oyster sauce and stir-fry for another 3-4 minutes until the pork is well cooked.
6.	Then add the okra and stir-fry for 2 minutes.  Serve with rice.

	Tips:
	Avoid cooking okra for too long. Its color will change and become sticky.