Hot-and-sour Soup

INGREDIENTS

• 6-10 dried Chinese mushrooms, soaked in warm water
• 115g/ 4oz pork or chicken
• 1 packet tofu
• 50g/ 2oz sliced bamboo shoots, drained
• 600ml/ 1 pint/ 2 1/2 cups stock
• 15ml/ 1 tbsp Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
• 15ml/1 tbsp light soy sauce
• 15ml/ 1 tbsp rice vinegar
• Salt and ground white pepper
• 15ml/ 1 tbsp cornflour paste

STEPS

1. Wash the mushroom and discard the stalks. Thinly sliced the mushrooms, meat, tofu and bamboo shoots.*

2. Pour in the water and boil it. Then, add the stock till it melted.

3. Once boil, pour all the shredded ingredients and boil it and later simmer it.*

4. If using soft tofu, pour it in last. Add the wine, soy sauce and vinegar.

5. Add the cornflour paste, stir until thickened and season it with pepper and salt.

6. After that, pour in the tofu and stir it gently.

NOTES:

I made some changes to the recipe

• I replaced chinese mushrooms with button mushrooms
• I used the soft tofu instead of the hard tofu
• I replaced rice vinegar with black vinegar
• *If using chinese mushrooms, soaked, dry and then discard the hard stalks.

Szechuan Spicy Tofu

INGREDIENTS

• 1-3 packets tofu
• 1-2 leek
• 45ml/3 tbsp vegetable oil
• 115g/ 4oz minced beef
• 15ml/ 1 tbsp black bean sauce
• 15ml/ 1 tbsp light soy sauce
• 5m/ 1 tsp chilli bean sauce
• 15ml/ 1 tbsp Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
• About 45-60ml/ 3-4 tbsp stock of water
• 10ml/ 2 tsp cornflour paste
• Ground Szechuan peppercorns, to taste few drops of sesame oil

STEPS

1. Cut the leek/celery into small pieces and tofu.

2. Preheat and add the oil. When hot, stir-fry the minced beef until the color changes, then add the leek/celery and black bean sauce.

*Add the soy sauce, chili bean sauce and rice wen. Stir it (If you are using soft tofu)

3.Add the stock or water, bring it to boil and braise for 2-3 mins.

4. Stir in the cornflour paste and cook, stirring until thickened.

5. Pour in the tofu and stir it gently and season it with szechuan/ black peppercorn, sprinkle sesame oil (if you want to) and serve.

NOTES:

Some of the changes I made

• I used the soft tofu instead of the hard tofu,which is possible too but to pour it at the end before you serve and stir it gently to avoid breaking it.
• I replaced leek with celery.
• As I was unable to find Szechuan peppercorns, I replaced it with black peppercorn.
• If you are using hard tofu, then you can fill a wok with boiling water,add the tofu cubes and bring back to boil. Cook for 2-3 mins to harden. Remove and drain.