The Shun Lee Cookbook - Michael Tong [64]
The bean curd will continue to give off water, so it must be drained again before it is cooked—just hold the bean curd and tilt the plate to drain off the water.
Choose the utensil used to remove the bean curd from the wok carefully. A shallow, smooth strainer made from fine wire mesh works well, but the typical wide wire-mesh strainer may cut into the bean curd and break it.
YOU SHOULD HAVE THIS EASY DISH in your repertoire; it’s a great side dish, but can also do duty as a tasty vegetarian main course.
Makes 4 to 6 servings
Broccoli with Garlic Sauce
1 pound broccoli florets
½ small red bell pepper, seeds and ribs removed, cut into strips about 1 ½ inches long and ¼ inch wide
Sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
1 tablespoon rice wine or dry sherry
½ teaspoon ground white pepper
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 scallions, white and green parts, trimmed and minced
1 tablespoon peeled and minced fresh ginger
6 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1 tablespoon hot bean paste
1 teaspoon hot chili oil, optional
1 tablespoon dark sesame oil
1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add the broccoli and cook until it is crisp-tender but slightly undercooked, about 1 minute. Using a wide wire-mesh strainer, transfer the broccoli to a colander. Place a plate inside the colander on top of the broccoli, and let stand to drain excess water from the broccoli. Add the bell pepper to the boiling water and cook until crisp-tender, about 1 minute. Drain the red pepper in a fine wire-mesh strainer.
2. To begin the sauce, combine the soy sauce, sugar, vinegar, rice wine, and white pepper in a small bowl, and set it aside. Dissolve the cornstarch in 3 tablespoons cold water in another small bowl, and set it aside.
3. Heat a large wok over high heat. Add the oil and heat until it is shimmering. Add the scallions, ginger, and garlic, and stir-fry until fragrant, about 10 seconds. Add the soy sauce mixture and the cornstarch mixture, and stir-fry for 10 seconds. Add the hot bean paste and stir-fry for 10 seconds. Return the broccoli and bell pepper to the wok, and stir-fry until well coated with sauce, about 10 seconds. Add the hot chili oil, if using, and stir-fry for 10 seconds. Then add the sesame oil, and serve immediately.
WHEN AN AMERICAN refers to food as “dry,” it is not necessarily a compliment, but to the Sichuanese, “dry” means food that has been cooked in oil, not in a sauce. Deep-frying green beans intensifies their flavor, even if it makes them look a bit shriveled. They are then tossed in a light sauce with preserved vegetable as a seasoning—but even without the preserved vegetable, the green beans will still be excellent. Makes 4 servings
Dry Sautéed Green Beans
Vegetable oil, for deep-frying
1 pound green beans, ends trimmed
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
¼ teaspoon ground white pepper
¼ cup trimmed and minced scallions, white part only
2 tablespoons Sichuan preserved vegetable, rinsed and minced (see Note)
2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1 teaspoon dark sesame oil
1. Heat a large wok over high heat. Add enough oil to come about 1 ½ inches up the sides of the wok and heat it to 325°F. Add the green beans and fry until they are bright green and slightly shriveled, about 1 ½ to 2 minutes. Using a wide wire-mesh strainer, transfer the green beans to a colander to drain. Discard all but 2 tablespoons of the oil from the wok.
2. Combine the soy sauce, sugar, and white pepper in a small bowl, and set it