Friday, October 13, 2006

Ma Po Dafu

This is a pretty standard dish that you can make in a jiffy after a day at work or school. Again, all the measurements are approximations from my head. Use your tastebuds as the final judge.
1 small container of tofu, medium firmness
1/2 c peas
1/4 pound extra lean ground pork
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 shallot, minced
1/2 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp cooking wine
1 tsp light soy sauce
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 tsp vegetable oil
2 tsp Lee Kum Kee chili bean sauce (my favourite)
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tsp corn starch
1/4 c water
1 egg, beaten
Drain the tofu of water. Cut it into bite-size cubes. Set aside. Mix the ground pork with sesame oil, cooking wine and soy sauce. Heat a wok on medium-high heat. Add oil and then the minced clove and shallot. Let sizzle for a minute. Add the ground pork and cook until crumbly. Mix together the chili bean sauce, oyster sauce, salt, pepper, corn starch and water. Pour over the ground pork and let simmer until it starts to thicken and bubble. Add in the peas and cubed tofu. Turn down heat to medium-low. Let cook until the sauce begins to bubble again. At this point, drizzle in the beaten egg so that it forms thin, white strands in the sauce. This should help thicken the mixture. If not, add more corn starch and water. Let simmer until the tofu is cooked through.