Thai-style Mushroom and Tofu Stir-fry

Ingredients

1/4 cup creamy reduced-fat peanut butter
1 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons lime juice
1/3 cup water
2 teaspoons sesame oil
2 teaspoons cornstarch (cornflour)
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
12 oz oyster mushrooms, sliced
1/2 lb snow peas, ends trimmed and strings pulled
8 oz canned sliced water chestnuts, rinsed and drained
1 lb firm tofu, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 cup chopped cilantro (fresh coriander)

Method

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the peanut butter, soy sauce, and lime juice until smooth. Add the water, sesame oil, cornstarch, and pepper flakes and whisk until blended.
2. Coat a nonstick wok or a large nonstick frying pan with nonstick cooking spray and heat over high heat. Add the mushrooms and stir-fry until lightly browned, about 4 minutes.
3. Add the snow peas and continue stir-frying until the peas are tender-crisp, 2-3 minutes.
4. Add the peanut butter mixture, water chestnuts, and tofu and stir-fry until the sauce thickens slightly, about 1 minute.
5. To serve, transfer to a platter. Sprinkle with the cilantro.

Makes 6 servings.

Source: Mayo Clinic

Taiwanese-style Shredded Chicken and Tofu

Ingredients

1 skinless and boneless chicken thigh
1 tsp Chinese Shaoxing wine
1 pack soft tofu
1 tsp dried bonito flakes

Sauce

50 g rock sugar
4 tbsp water
2 tbsp soy sauce

Method

1. To make the sauce, mix the water with the rock sugar and cook until the sugar dissolves.
2. Add soy sauce and cook until the sauce thickens and reduces by half. Set aside.
3. Marinate chicken with the wine for 2 hours. Steam over moderate heat for 8 minutes or until done.
4. Shred chicken and set aside.
5. Steam the tofu until heated through. Drain and cut into thick slices.
6. Assemble chicken and tofu onto the serving platter. Pour sauce over and sprinkle bonito flakes on top before serving.

Makes 2 servings.

Source: Chicken Delicacy

Peanut and Tofu Cutlets

Ingredients

1/2 cup brown rice
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
1-3/4 cups peanuts
9 oz firm tofu, drained and crumbled
small bunch of fresh coriander (cilantro) or parsley, chopped (optional)
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp olive oil, for shallow frying

Method

1. Cook the rice according to the instructions on the packet until tender, then drain.
2. Heat the vegetable oil in a large, heavy frying pan and cook the onion and garlic over a low heat, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes, until softened and golden.
3. Spread out the peanuts on a baking sheet and toast under a preheated grill (broiler) for a few minutes, until browned.
4. Place the toasted peanuts, onion, garlic, rice, tofu, coriander or parsley, if using, and soy sauce in a blender or food processor. Process until the mixture forms a thick paste. If it is too thick, add a little water.
5. Divide the paste into eight equal mounds and form each mound into a cutlet shape or square.
6. Heat the olive oil for shallow frying in a large, heavy frying pan. Add the cutlets, in two batches if necessary, and cook them for about 5-10 minutes on each side, until they turn golden and are heated through.
7. Remove the cooked cutlets from the pan with a metal spatula and drain on kitchen paper. Keep them warm in a low oven while you fry the remaining cutlets. Serve immediately with green vegetables or a crisp salad and salsa.

Makes 4 servings.

Source: Vegan Cooking

Chinese Hot and Sour Noodle Soup

Ingredients

6-1/2 oz fresh Shanghai noodles
6-1/2 oz chicken breast fillet, cut into very thin strips
2 tablespoons garlic and red chili paste
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
4 fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, caps thinly sliced
3-1/2 oz enoki mushrooms, trimmed and separated
1 (4 oz) fresh baby corn, cut into quarters lengthways
2 tablespoons Chinese black vinegar
2-1/4 oz black fungus, roughly chopped
6-1/2 oz firm tofu, cut into 1-inch cubes
3 eggs, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon sesame oil
spring onions, thinly sliced on the diagonal in long strips, to garnish

Stock

3 lb chicken bones, washed
2 (1/2-inch) slices fresh ginger
4 spring onions, white part only, bruised

Method

1. To make the stock, put the chicken bones and 15 cups water in a large saucepan and bring to a simmer, but do not boil. Cook for 30 minutes, removing any scum that rises to the surface. Add the ginger and spring onion and simmer gently, partially covered, for 3 hours. Strain through a fine sieve and allow to cool. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Remove the laver of fat from the surface.
2. Cook the noodles in a large saucepan of boiling water for 4-5 minutes, then drain and rinse.
3. To make the soup, pour 8 cups of the stock into a non-stick wok, bring to the boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium, add the chicken, garlic and chili paste, soy sauce and white pepper and stir well. Simmer, covered, for 10 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked.
4. Add the mushrooms, corn, vinegar, black fungus and tofu, season with salt, return the lid to the wok and simmer gently for 5 minutes — do not stir.
5. Mix the cornstarch with 4 tbsp water. Add to the soup with the noodles, return to a simmer, then pour the eggs in a very thin stream over the surface.
6. Turn off the heat and stand for 10 minutes before gently stirring in the sesame oil.
7. Divide among the serving bowls and garnish with the spring onion strips.

Makes 6 servings.

Source: The Essential Wok Cookbook

Japanese Udon Miso Soup with Chicken

Ingredients

8 dried shiitake mushrooms
13 oz fresh udon noodles
4 cups good-quality chicken stock
1-1/4 1b chicken breast fillets, cut into S/8-inch thick strips
10 oz baby bok Choy, halved lengthways
2 oz white miso paste
2 teaspoons dashi granules
1 tablespoon wakame flakes or other seaweed
5 oz silken firm tofu, cut into 1/2-inch) cubes
3 spring onions, sliced on the diagonal

Method

1. Soak the mushrooms in 1 cup boiling water for 20 minutes. Squeeze dry, reserving the soaking liquid. Discard the woody stalks and thinly slice the caps.
2. Bring 8 cups water to the boil in a large saucepan and cook the noodles for 2 to 3 minutes, or until tender. Drain immediately and rinse under cold water. Set aside.
3. Pour the stock and 4 cups water into a wok and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer.
4. Add the chicken and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until almost cooked through.
5. Add the mushrooms and cook for 1 minute.
6. Add the bok Choy and simmer for a further minute, or until beginning to wilt, then add the miso paste, dashi granules, wakame and reserved mushroom liquid. Stir to dissolve the dashi and miso paste. Do not allow to boil.
7. Gently stir in the tofu.
8. Distribute the noodle among the serving bowls, then ladle the hot soup over them. Sprinkle with the spring onion before serving.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Source: The Essential Wok Cookbook