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Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Mapo Tofu with Shimeji Mushroom

First of all, it's not to late to say a Happy Chinese New Year to everyone who celebrate it! May your new year filled with happines - love - blessing and prosperity... Gong Xi Fat Chai! :)

Even I'm a christian, since my ancestry is chinese so CNY always bring my memory back to my childhood. When my grandfather and grandmother still alive, all the family member always gathered together. When I said all, it's seriously ALL. From aunty to uncle, causin to nephew and niece, grandchild,   brother, sister and even the family member that not blood related! 
But since I'm get merried and lived in another city, that moment is hard to find. 


And one more, the CNY is a day when my kitchen is closed! Haha ha!
I choose to have a great day with my family to go outside (often at the mall or other vacation destination) and have a CNY dinner together :) 
This year we decide to go to one of the mall which have a CNY event and be decorated. 
Mapo tofu is one of popular chinese dish, you can find it almost in every chinese restaurant. One of the reason why this dish is so popular is because it's simplicity and richness flavour at the same time. 
Mapo tofu originated from the Sezchuan province, so you can guess this dish is certainly spicy enough for non-asian people. But as always, for food, we can always adjust the flavour with our palate :)
The dish is usually cooked with minced meat, pork or beef, but today I want to make the vegetarian version :) 

Ingredients :
  • 2 Silken Tofu (or you can use any regular tofu, non-seasoned, I use egg tofu today since I run out silken tofu)
  • 1 pack Shimeji Mushroom (or you can use shitake or ear jelly mushroom)
  • 3 cloves Shallot (always remember that asian shallot is smaller)
  • 3  cloves Garlic 
  • 3 stalks Scallion 
  • 1 tbsp Chili Bean Sauce/ Doubanjiang
  • 1 tbsp Black Bean Sauce
  • 1 tbsp Vegetarian Oyster Sauce (made from mushrooms)
  • 1 tbsp Ketchup
  • 2 tbsp Chinese Cooking Wine (or you can use dry sherry) 
  • 1 tbsp Cornstarch + 2 tbsp Water (set a side) 
  • 2 tbsp Canola oil or another neutral oil. 
  • 1/4 cup Water/ Vegetable Stock 
  • (you can adjust the spiciness with adding, chili oil, or Bird Eye Chili, but I will skip the step this time since I have this dish in the morning today)

Directions : 
  • In a bowl, mix : ketchup, vegetarian oyster sauce, chili bean sauce, cooking wine, black bean sauce, set a side. 
  • Chopped : garlic, shallot and ginger. 
  • Slice the scallions, use the white part for cooking and the green part for garnish. 

  • Cut the root part of the mushrooms, saparate them one another, rinse in a colander in a running water, set a side. 
  • Cut the egg tofu into a cubes. (at this stage, you can choose to deep fry the tofu first or not. If you want to deef fry the tofu, you can mix the tofu first with constarch, deef fry until just the skin is change color.)

  • In a pan/ wok with a medium high heat, stir fry the garlic, ginger, shallot and the white part of the scallion with canola oil until fragrant. (add in the chili oil or the bird eye chili, if you want the dish more spicy)
  • Add in the sauce mixture into the pan, stir for a few second. Add in the water/ vegetable stock, shimmer for 1 minute

  • Stir in the mushroom, saute for a minute, turn the heat to medium heat.
  • Add in the tofu, and stirring gently. Shimmer for 5 minutes.
  • Pour the constarch mixture into the dish, mix evenly. 
  • After 10 second, lift the dish from heat. 
  • Garnish with the green part of the scallion. 
  • Serve with steamed rice.
  • Enjoy! ;) 

Szechuan dish always famous with their rich flavor and spice. Like this dish. 
Since there's rarely to found a healtier dish with rich flavor this day, so yes... I'm in love since the first day I taste the dish. 

Have this authentic szechuan dish with a fragrant steamed rice or even with a brown rice porridge to make it more healtier. Then you will know why this dish is so popular, in Szechuan and overseas ;) 




Stay Healthy and Loves Your Kitchen More! ;) 


Difficulty : easy
Preparation : 10 minutes
Cooking Time : 15 minutes



 is on Foodbuzz Top9 at 29 Jan'12 choosen from 5777 post! YaY! 
Give ur BUZZ at : http://www.foodbuzz.com/top9?number=8#s

13 comments:

  1. Looks delicious! Great presentation!
    I just found your blog and I loved it! Am a happy follower now! Visit me at:
    my-greek-cooking.blogspot.com
    Hope to see you around!

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  2. This tofu sounds delicious and I'm glad you were able to spend time with your loved ones on CNY!

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  3. Happy Chinese New Year! It's funny...I usually close my kitchen on Thanksgiving! Not every year, but there is so much cooking going on - that it's nice to take a break on the biggest American kitchen day of the year! The tofu dish looks tasty!

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  4. Congrats on top 9 today,I'm sure most indonesian like tofu,but this one is little bit different,I have this before and I really like it,and i can have more and more spicy :)
    Ridwan

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  5. I am playing catch up here-firstly, congrats on top 9 for Jan 29th! I can certainly see why this post made it-well written and very delicious. Happy Chinese New Year!

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  6. One of my fav way to enjoy tofu ! Congrats on top 9 .. totally deserving.

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  7. Oh my! This recipe looks amazing! I love the spices and the mushrooms in it - just beautiful. Congratulations to Top 9 to boot... So well deserved!

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  8. Such cute pictures! Looks like you had a nice time. I love Mapo tofu and yours looks fabulous!! Happy CNY!

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  9. Indeed a well-deserved Top 9! Happy Chinese New Year!

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  10. Elies,i have awards for you please check it out,
    http://rivankie.blogspot.com/2012/02/manggo-kiwi-ginger-crumbled-and-awards.html
    Ridwan

    ReplyDelete
  11. this dish looks so beautiful. no wonder it was featured on Foodbuzz top 9

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  12. I know I'm super late, but I want to congratulate on Top 9 Elies! I LOOVE Mapo Tofu and my kids too. I haven't made it for at least 3 months. I totally craving for it right now but tonight is ramen in my house. Maybe tomorrow. I love how you styled your food. Your photos are beautiful to look at and drool... :-)

    ReplyDelete

Tq for yout visit - your kind comment & positive feedbaback makes me happy ;)