I like beancurd (aka. Tofu). It is so versatile and many recipes can be created out of it. You can fry it, steam it, boil it, mash it with ingredients etc. And the best thing is, it is relatively cheap and highly nutritious.

There are many types of tofu. Some are hard in texture and some soft. I have a prior recipe here for Simple Tofu with Dried Prawns. In this recipe, however, I use the soft type of tofu which is measures approximately 6cm x 6cm x 2cm (W x D x H) and more ingredients are used.

This is my recipe for Beancurd with Minced Pork. Though it suggests minced pork, I have added other ingredients to give it some colour. Feel free to experiment!


Ingredients

• 3 pieces soft beancurd. Alternatively, you can use Japanese Beancurd.
• 100 grammes minced pork (season with 1 tsp soya sauce and a dash of white pepper)
  
• Carrot (cut to strips. Amount up to your liking)
• Chinese dried mushroom (pre-soaked and cut to strips) or other button mushrooms. In fact, any type of mushroom will do or you can omit it altogether.
• Spring onions (cut to 2 inch lengths)
• 2 bulbs garlic (chopped)
• 2 bulbs shallots (sliced thinly)
• 2 tablespoons of cooking oil (preferably palm oil)
• 1 cup warm water
• 1/2 cup corn starch (add 1/2 cup water to 3 teaspoons of corn flour)

Seasoning

• 1 - 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
• White pepper powder (to taste)
• 1 teaspoon light soya sauce
• 1 tablespoon chinese cooking wine

Method

Fry shallots in cooking oil till brown. Remove shallots. Heat up the remaining oil and fry the garlic till beginning to brown. Add minced meat and stir fry for about 30 seconds.

Add carrots and mushrooms and continue stir frying for a minute. Add seasoning (minus the chinese cooking wine). Add water till it completely covers the ingredients and let it boil.

Once the water boils, place beancurd gently on top of the sauce / meat and cover the lid (in a way, you are steaming the beancurd whilst cooking the rest of the ingredients / gravy) for 2 to 3 minutes. Ensure that the gravy does not dry out.

Open lid, remove beancurd gently and place on a plate. Add chinese cooking wine to the meat sauce and stir to mix well. Add corn flour to the meat sauce to to thicken sauce to your liking. Add spring onions, give it a good stir and pour the meat sauce over the beancurd. Sprinkle fried shallots over the dish.

Serve hot with rice.


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