This is a dish from
up near Beijing that has become a staple of Taiwan’s military family school of
cooking, for it is cheap and delicious.
Shàozĭ dòufŭ is the sort of thing I practically subsisted on when I was perennially broke that third year.
I would usually have it as part of a kèfàn 客飯 meal, which is an inexpensive entree served with rice, tea, and soup. A real bargain!
Something like this is pure comfort
food, especially when served over hot steamed rice. It’s a complete meal in
itself and is the perfect thing to make whenever the weather is lousy, you’re
not feeling well, or you just need a bit of TLC.
Bean curd with ground pork
Shàozĭ dòufŭ 紹子豆腐
Northern Chinese cuisine
Serves 4
1 square medium or medium-firm bean curd (around
14 ounces | 400 g)
Boiling water, as needed
1 teaspoon salt
4 ounces | 60 g ground pork
1 teaspoon cornstarch
¼ cup mild rice wine (Taiwan Mijiu)
3 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil
 |
| Good quality doufu a must |
1 teaspoon ground Sichuan peppercorns
Half a yellow onion, peeled and diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
6 small or 2 large wood ears, either fresh
or soaked until plump, cut into thin strips
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1½ tablespoons regular soy sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup | 250 ml boiling water
1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with ¼ cup |
60 ml cool water
1 scallion, trimmed and chopped
1. Cut the bean curd
into small squares (about ½ inch | 1 cm all around). Bring 4 cups | 1 liter
water to a full boil in a medium saucepan and add the salt. Gently slide the
bean curd into the water and bring the water to a boil again. Gently pour the
bean curd into a colander set into the sink, as your aim here is to destroy
these cubes as little as possible.
 |
| Short on looks, long on taste |
2. While the bean
curd is draining, put the pork in a medium work bowl and mix in the cornstarch
and rice wine until they are both absorbed.
3. Over medium heat,
add the oil to the wok and fry the Sichuan peppercorns, onions, garlic, and
ginger until the onions turn slightly translucent. Toss in the wood ears and
pork and fry until the pork is no longer pink.
4. Make a well in
the center and pour in the oyster sauce, soy sauce, and sugar. Stir these
around to cook them slightly, and then add the boiling water. Slide the bean
curd on top of the pork and add the black pepper and cornstarch slurry. Reduce
the heat to low, and from then on simply shake the wok to stir things around,
as this will help keep breakage down to a bare minimum. When the bean curd is
heated through and the sauce has thickened, shake in the scallions. Serves 4.
