On the tofu trail: bean curd a versatile staple in Chinese recipes
Susan Jung’s recipes for mapo tofu with beef tendon and pan-friend tofu with chilli-soy sauce
Bean curd is a versatile ingredient, and good when braised, pan-fried, sautéed, fried or even raw. It comes with varying moisture content, giving it a texture that’s anywhere from very soft to very firm (there are also fresh and dried bean curd “skins”, fermented products and bean curd puffs, but we won’t get into those now). The followingrecipes call for firm bean curd.
Mapo tofu with beef tendon
I saw a photo of this on my Instagram feed, and it looked so delicious I decided to make it. You need to start cooking the tendon far in advance because it takes a couple of hours (at least) to simmer into submission (or less time if you use a pressure cooker). The tendon needs to be very tender, because it won’t get any softer in the brief time you cook it with the sauce and bean curd.
I like this for the contrast in textures: the slippery, tender tendon and the firmer pieces of bean curd. If you dislike tendon, use a total of about 750 grams of bean curd.
250 grams beef tendon, cut into several pieces
15 grams fermented black beans
5 grams Sichuan peppercorns
30ml dark soy sauce
30ml light soy sauce
80 grams doubanjiang (Sichuan chilli soybean paste)
10 grams Chinese chilli flakes
20ml sesame oil
30ml chilli oil
400ml unsalted chicken stock, preferably home-made
20 grams cornstarch
450 grams firm bean curd
2-3 Chinese leeks, rinsed thoroughly
2-3 spring onions
Cooking oil, as needed
Fine sea salt
Bring a medium-sized pot of water to the boil, add the tendon and let the water boil again. Strain the tendon through a colander and rinse it thoroughly. Wash the pot, then fill it halfway with water and bring to the boil. Add the tendon, bring to the boil then lower the heat and simmer for about two hours, or until the tendon is very tender. (If you have a pressure cooker, blanch and rinse the tendon, then put it in the pot that is about half full of water. Cook on high pressure for about one hour, then remove from the heat and let the cooker cool naturally before opening the lid.) Cut the tendon into bite-sized pieces.