_bean Curd To Press Recipes

Steps:

• Drain tofu and cut into 1/2-inch pieces.
• Heat oil in nonstick skillet and saute ginger and garlic for 30 seconds. Add pork, stirring to separate pieces and cook about 1 minute to brown.
• Add the scallions, chili paste, soy sauce, sesame oil and chicken stock and stir well. Add the tofu and stir in gently; cook, uncovered, over low heat about 5 minutes. If necessary, add a little more stock. Serve over rice.

Steps:

• Cut each cake of bean curd into 4 cubes, and deep-fry the pieces in oil, heated to 375 degrees, about 5 minutes, or until golden. (When adding bean curd to hot oil, do so gently, using the lid of the wok as a shield to protect yourself from any spattering oil.) Remove the bean curd, drain, cool, and cut into 1/8-inch julienne strips. Set aside. Cut the pork into similar strips, and mix with the next 5 ingredients. Cut the bamboo shoots, celery and ham into similar strips. Soak mushrooms 15 minutes in warm water, discard the stems and cut into similar julienne strips. Mince garlic. Mix cornstarch solution with the next 3 ingredients.
• Using high heat, heat a wok, add the oil, salt and garlic, and stir-fry 10 seconds.
• Add pork, and stir-fry 2 minutes.
• Add bean curd, bamboo shoots, celery and mushrooms, and stir-fry 10 seconds.
• Add stock, cover and boil 2 minutes.
• Add cornstarch solution, stir until thickened, remove from heat, and serve, garnished with Smithfield ham.

Steps:

• Place a sheet of wax paper on a cutting or other flat board. Set the cakes of bean curd side by side on the paper. Cover with a second sheet of wax paper, another flat board. Weight the top board with heavy objects: thick books, a kettle filled with water, etc. Let stand until bean curd cakes become compressed and solid (about 5 hours or overnight).Or: Wrap each bean cake individually in cheesecloth. Place between two flat boards. Weight as above, gradually increasing the weight at 20-minute intervals. Unwrap after 1 hour. NOTE: Pressing fresh bean curd makes it more compact, less fragile, and easier to handle. Some cooks parboil the bean curd first in salted water to make it keep longer. When the cakes float, they are removed, drained and pressed as above. The Thousand Recipe Chinese Cookbook. ©1994 by Gloria Bley Miller.