This is a dish taught to me by a Chinese “relative” – it had no name, so I’ve called it Chinese tofu & chilli peppers. The name is descriptive of the dish which as I say doesn’t really have a name of it’s own. It is however a traditional style dish, and has a unique but subtle flavour.
It’s essential to take a trip to a “Chinese Supermarket” for this dish. You’ll need some of those long chinese chilli peppers – which are not at all hot, although they do have some heat. You also need spring onions which they will have, along with ginger & garlic. Essential is the tofu – and I wouldn’t reccomend Cauldron brand as it’s way too dense and firm. Use Tofu King firm tofu or a similer brand. It must be soft to the tongue when cooked.
It’s really simple though, chop the garlic and ginger and sautee, adding in the diagonally cut spring onions. After that the similarly cut green chilli peppers. At this pointyou can either cook the tofu in the actfry or just add it to the mix. I like to add a little Chinese chilli oil, and plenty of soy sauce and just a pinch of sea salt. At this point you can cover the pan on a low heat and add a little water – just a couple of teaspoons.
Stir occasionally, and when you think it’s nicely cooked, add in the cornflour and water, and stire well. Simmer gently so that the cornflour thickens and the water boils off or is absorbed. Make sure the heat is on very low, and that you stir it. When it’s the right level of moisture – slightly sticky but not too – you can serve it.
I would reccomend serving with with maybe a noodle dish, or chinese leaves stir-fried with bean-sprouts and loads of ginger, garlic & soy sauce. This Chinese Tofu & Chilli Peppers dish can be kept in the fridge and reheated, but it’s nicest when hot off the stove.
Chinese Tofu & Chilli Peppers
Equipment
- 1 Wok decent sized
Ingredients
- 25 g cold pressed rapeseed oil
- 40 g ginger
- 6 whole cloves of garlic
- 6 whole spring onions
- 6 whole long green mild Chinese chillies
- 600 g firm tofu cubed
- 1 tbsp low salt soy sauce
- 1 teasp chinese chilli oil
- 15 g cornflour
- 90 g water 6 tablespoons
Instructions
- peel the garlic and chop or slice finely
- wash and chop the ginger finely
- add the oil to the pan on a low heat and add the garlic and ginger
- slice the leaves of the spring onions lengthways and wash thoroughly
- slice the spring onions slantwise (improves flavour and mouthfeel
- and add to the pan.
- top and split the chilli peppers, lengthways
- and again slice slantwise and add to the pan.
- spring onions in wok
- meanwhile drain and chop the tofu. Chop each block in half, and half again. Then chop into 4 lengthways. This will give nice sized square chunks of tofu.
- either cook in an actfry if you have one, or when the peppers are nicely cooking add to the pan. The advantage of the actifry is it doesn't break up the tofu so much and you can add chilli oil and soy sauce to marinade the tofu a little. If cooking in the actifry add when the peppers are perfectly cooked and combine or if doing in the wok, add to the pan when the peppers are about half-way cooked,
- add the cornflour to a small cup or jug. Add a small amount of the water and mix, then add the rest of the water.
- As all the ingredients are near to being cooked - add in the cornflour mixture and any extra soy sauce and the merest amount of sea salt.
- Mix well, but gently to avoid breaking up the tofu, and simmer on a very low heat until most of the moisture is gone, but the veggies and tofu are coated in a light moderately wet sauce.
- serve immediately with another Chinese style dish and brown rice.
