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food: for eating!
hello internet! I thought for sure I'd posted this at some point, but I can't find it, so I figured I would share with you all!
ma po tofu, the lazy asshole version: this is a recipe I learned from my father, who learned it from god knows where - it's probably not too tremendously authentic, for a variety of reasons, but it is tasty and filling and also TASTY, so I roll with it.
for the sauce:
1cup chicken broth
3tbs soy sauce
1tbs sherry (or water, or some sort of wine vinegar - I'm not too picky, OBVIOUSLY)
2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt (I tend to omit this - chicken broth and soy sauce are both plenty salty for me)
everything else:
3 tbs vegetable oil (or peanut oil, or whatever you have on hand)
chopped/ground pork (...some, I don't know, quantities are hard)
2 cloves garlic (I generally double this, because I like garlic)
2 tsp chili paste (or chili powder, if you are a lazy butthole who never remembers to buy chili paste)
1 block tofu
A Vegetable (if you want one - green peppers are nice! or whatever! - but it's not necessary)
1 green onion (...I usually leave this out, because I am pretty nonplussed by green onions as a life choice)
cornstarch paste (abt 2 tsp cornstarch + cold water)
hot chili oil
sesame oil (optional)
First, start some rice! Do this however you prefer; I tend to put 3c water and 1.5c rice in a pot over high heat, which is probably a little more than is necessary, note to self, MAKE LESS RICE - when it starts to boil, cover it, turn the heat down, and let it chill for 15 minutes or until it looks like rice.
Next, mix the sauce together and let it sit. Heat the wok (or pan), add the oil. Chop up your pork, if it's in chunks bigger than you like it; chop your tofu into bits, too.
Once the oil is hot, add the pork; cook until it's nicely browned. Add garlic and chili paste, and stir until well-mixed and fragrant. Add the tofu and the sauce - you probably want to stir the sauce a little before adding, to remix. Wait for this mixture to start boiling.
Wait until it boils, then cook at boiling for 5 minutes. If you are looking at your food and thinking, "needs more vegetable!", this is the point at which you should hastily chop up your veg and toss it into the pan - earlier for vegetables that require more cooking, later if you're doing a bell pepper or whatever.
Once your mess of food has boiled for approximately five minutes, add your green onion and mix well, then add cornstarch paste and stir to thicken. Add the last oils (to taste, more or less - about a tsp of the hot chili oil, less of the sesame oil) and nom immediately. Face-meltingly spicy and incredibly filling! OM NOM NOM.
In other news, today I read a book with pages and it was great. I did not do anything else of substance, and that was also great.
ma po tofu, the lazy asshole version: this is a recipe I learned from my father, who learned it from god knows where - it's probably not too tremendously authentic, for a variety of reasons, but it is tasty and filling and also TASTY, so I roll with it.
for the sauce:
1cup chicken broth
3tbs soy sauce
1tbs sherry (or water, or some sort of wine vinegar - I'm not too picky, OBVIOUSLY)
2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt (I tend to omit this - chicken broth and soy sauce are both plenty salty for me)
everything else:
3 tbs vegetable oil (or peanut oil, or whatever you have on hand)
chopped/ground pork (...some, I don't know, quantities are hard)
2 cloves garlic (I generally double this, because I like garlic)
2 tsp chili paste (or chili powder, if you are a lazy butthole who never remembers to buy chili paste)
1 block tofu
A Vegetable (if you want one - green peppers are nice! or whatever! - but it's not necessary)
1 green onion (...I usually leave this out, because I am pretty nonplussed by green onions as a life choice)
cornstarch paste (abt 2 tsp cornstarch + cold water)
hot chili oil
sesame oil (optional)
First, start some rice! Do this however you prefer; I tend to put 3c water and 1.5c rice in a pot over high heat, which is probably a little more than is necessary, note to self, MAKE LESS RICE - when it starts to boil, cover it, turn the heat down, and let it chill for 15 minutes or until it looks like rice.
Next, mix the sauce together and let it sit. Heat the wok (or pan), add the oil. Chop up your pork, if it's in chunks bigger than you like it; chop your tofu into bits, too.
Once the oil is hot, add the pork; cook until it's nicely browned. Add garlic and chili paste, and stir until well-mixed and fragrant. Add the tofu and the sauce - you probably want to stir the sauce a little before adding, to remix. Wait for this mixture to start boiling.
Wait until it boils, then cook at boiling for 5 minutes. If you are looking at your food and thinking, "needs more vegetable!", this is the point at which you should hastily chop up your veg and toss it into the pan - earlier for vegetables that require more cooking, later if you're doing a bell pepper or whatever.
Once your mess of food has boiled for approximately five minutes, add your green onion and mix well, then add cornstarch paste and stir to thicken. Add the last oils (to taste, more or less - about a tsp of the hot chili oil, less of the sesame oil) and nom immediately. Face-meltingly spicy and incredibly filling! OM NOM NOM.
In other news, today I read a book with pages and it was great. I did not do anything else of substance, and that was also great.
no subject
b) I guess you wouldn't have to do the tofu, but it definitely enhances the dish - I use firm or extra-firm, cut up into roughly half-inch cubes. The dish as a whole is spicy enough that it doesn't taste much like tofu, but there's a texture thing that rounds it out really nicely. J doesn't particularly care for tofu in general, but she likes it in this, and says, "I feel like it would be lacking without the tofu." (I love tofu, so my opinion is less valid)
c) I think that might be too many vegetables? Peppers are a go for certain, and I think onions would work, but carrots might be a bit much - I can't put my finger on why, exactly, but I don't know that it would work. Either way, I think you would definitely want to pre-cook the carrots and onions, because just throwing them in while the rest of the dish cooks might not be enough time. Maybe put them in alongside the pork?
Yay recipes and cooking! let me know if you have any other questions.