Bean Curd with Hot Sauce

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Photo by wang_quian/flickr

Serves 6.

Ingredients

500 g (1 lb) firm bean curd
2 tablespoons peanut oil
3 tablespoons finely chopped spring onions (scallions)
2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh ginger
1 tablespoon ground bean sauce (mor sze jeung)
1 teaspoon chilli bean paste
3 tablespoons sweet chilli sauce
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
2 teaspoons red bean curd, mashed*
2 teaspoons cornflour
2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon chilli oil
or oriental sesame oil

Directions

Cut bean curd into 2 cm (3/4 in) dice and drop into a pan of boiling water until heated through, about 4 minutes. Drain in a colander.

Heat peanut oil in a wok and on low heat fry spring onion for a few seconds before adding garlic and ginger. Stir and fry over low heat until fragrant and starting to turn golden. Add chilli bean paste, sauces and mashed red bean curd mixed with 2/3 cup stock or water. Stir until boiling, then mix in cornflour stirred with cold water and stir until sauce boils and thickens. Add bean curd and heat gently in the sauce. Sprinkle with sesame oil and serve on steamed rice.

* Red bean curd is the Chinese equivalent of ripe gorgonzola cheese. It is fermented and packed in jars. Use a clean dry spoon to take small amounts. Keeps without refrigeration even after the jar is opened.

Recipe excerpted from Encyclopedia of Asian Food by Charmaine Solomon (Periplus Editions, 1998)