Wok Wednesdays: The Breath of a Wok | Susanna Foo’s Tofu, Eggplant, Mushrooms, and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

 
Four score and seven years ago . . .  actually it was four stores and a few days ago that I found the Chinese eggplant I needed for this recipe. I was set on omitting the eggplant after store number two, but I feel the need to make a recipe as instructed the first time around unless it is unavoidable, such as unavailability of ingredients or at times in my case, laziness.

Store number one had Italian eggplant which I came very close to purchasing, fine it would have been I'm sure. I recalled seeing Chinese eggplant earlier in the week at store two, however this day it looked past its prime, as did store number three. Store four (as did store three) had Japanese eggplant - close enough!

This stir-fry is loaded with delicious vegetables - or fruits, depending on how technical you want to get.  :)

 Mise en place.

Bowl 1: Garlic, jalapeño pepper

Bowl 2: Eggplant, sun-dried tomatoes

Bowl 3: Tofu, mushrooms, bell pepper

Bowl 4: Soy sauce, vodka, balsamic vinegar, sugar

Bowl 5: Zucchini, sugar snap peas

Tastes as good as it looks and then some.

Tofu is one of those foods people either like or they don't; for me it depends on how it is prepared. I have had some tofu dishes that turned me off, and others like this stir-fry that makes me ask why I don't eat more of it.

I served this alongside some jasmine rice which made for a most delicious meal. This is one for the repeat list.

If you get overwhelmed with the different choices of tofu, check out this informative article on The Kitchn's website with tips from Andrea Nguyen, author of Asian Tofu, among others.



As much as I want to share the recipes from this book with you, we have been asked not to post them on our blogs. 

If you have been enjoying these Wok Wednesdays posts, consider purchasing Grace's book(s) and you too can make these wonderful stir-fries at home. 

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Wok Wednesdays is an online group of wok devotees that are cooking through Grace Young's The Breath of a Wok. All are welcome to join along - no blog required. :)

Wok Wednesdays | Stir-Fried Tofu with Pickled Ginger

WW wokking thru Stir-Frying to the Sky's Edge
by Grace Young

Tofu. What is it? Basically, well actually, it is the curds of coagulated soy milk that have been pressed into an unappetizing looking block shape. It is low in calories, yet high in protein, iron, and calcium (depending on brand/type - read the label).

Those who are not vegetarians tend to shy away from it. After all, tofu is tasteless on its own. I've had tofu and thought, um, no thanks, I'll pass - other times, it was pretty good - as in this instance.  It's all in how it is prepared. So give it a chance - you may find it not as bad as you thought it to be (Bob/Patti).

Mise en place.

Bowl 1: Firm tofu

Bowl 2: Carrot, ginger

Bowl 3: Scallions, pickled ginger

Bowl 4: Dry sherry, soy sauce

Bowl 5: Salt, white pepper

Very simple dish to prepare. The tofu is cooked until it browns (mine may not look so brown, because the tasty - I'm sure - browned bits stuck something awful to my wok - not sure why), then removed, while the fresh ginger and carrots get a quick stir in the wok. The tofu is returned to the wok along with the pickled ginger and scallions and given a toss to mix everything together. In goes the broth mixture and seasonings, and stir-fried just until the carrots are crisp-tender. Three to four minutes, tops. Bam. Dinner is on the table. Gotta love stir-frying!

We had this with jasmine rice and steamed zucchini, and keeping with the ginger theme, I consumed it along with my favorite ginger beer.

  
Yes, there was a small amount left over, which I re-heated in the microwave the next day - still was tasty - the flavors being a little more pronounced even. 



We have been asked not to post the recipes here on our blog. If you would like the recipe, you will find it on page 203, of  Stir-Frying to the Sky's Edge, which you can purchase at your local bookstore or find it at your local library. I highly recommend purchasing the book - you won't be disappointed.

This stir-fry just so happens to be available on the Orange County Register's website. Click here for the recipe.

Wok Wednesdays | Nyonya-Style Singapore Noodles

WW wokking through Stir-Frying to the Sky's Edge
by Grace Young

What is Nyonya-Style you ask?

It is a highly seasoned cuisine that was created by the Chinese that immigrated to Malaysia and Singapore in the nineteenth century.

"Nyonya, a term that refers to the female descendants of Chinese settlers who married local Malay women", Grace writes in her book.

In my words: Delish!!

Mise en place.

Bowl 1: Oil

Bowl 2: Eggs

Bowl 3: Oil

Bowl 4: Scallions, shallots, garlic

Bowl 5: Chicken broth, soy sauce, dark soy sauce, ketchup, curry powder, chili garlic sauce, sugar

Bowl 6: Rice stick noodles

Bowl 7: Baked tofu (Recipe calls for fried tofu.)

Bowl 8: Scallions, bean sprouts, bay shrimp (not pictured - oops.)

Bowl 9: Cilantro

This stir-fry is a little more involved than a lot of the recipes in the book. You start by soaking your noodles in hot water until the are soft and pliable, and then drained and shaken to remove as much water as possible.

While the noodles are soaking, you make an egg "pancake" by swirling in beaten eggs and tilting the wok to make the pancake as thin as possible. Mine cooked up really fast, and was unable to get it as thin as it should have been. The pancake is transferred to a cutting board to cool, and sliced in thin strips to be used as garnish before serving.

Now we are ready to stir-fry, which goes quickly from here. The aromatics (bowl 4) are stir-fried first, then the broth mixture (the highly seasoned part) is added along with the prepared noodles and stir-fried over medium heat (most stir-frying is done over high heat) for a short time. Next the tofu is added and stir-fried until all the liquid has been absorbed. The shrimp, sprouts, and the rest of the scallions are added, and stir-fried till heated through. This is served with the pancake pieces and cilantro sprinkled on top.

This stir-fry is full of flavor, and wonderfully delicious - not one to be missed.

We are asked not to post the recipes here on our blog. If you would like the recipe, you will find it on page 278 of  Stir-Frying to the Sky's Edge, which you can purchase at your local bookstore or find it at your local library. I highly recommend purchasing the book - you won't be disappointed. 

Wok Wednesdays is an online cooking group. If you would like information about joining us, click here, or visit us on Facebook. Would love for you to wok along with us!

Wok Wednesdays | Stir-Fried Water Spinach with Fermented Bean Curd

WW wokking through Stir-Frying to the Sky's Edge
by Grace Young 

Water spinach is nothing like the the spinach your thinking of (at least to those unfamiliar with Asian cuisine). Water spinach has long narrow leaves and hollow stalks, and the flavor is milder than regular spinach.

Did you know that water spinach is from the Morning Glory family? And that this plant requires a permit to be grown in the United States according to Worldcrops.org, for it is considered to be a federal noxious weed? A mighty tasty weed, if I may say so myself.

Interestingly enough, you can buy water spinach seeds from Amazon (what can you not get?). I did not see any disclaimer about needing a permit. Then again, I did not try to add it to my shopping cart - maybe at check out it states that fact.. maybe.

 Mise en place.

Bowl 1: Garlic

Bowl 2: Water Spinach

Bowl 3: Fermented bean curd, dry sherry

Bowl 4: Salt, sugar

This was an incredibly easy recipe. All that is required, is you rinse your water spinach, trim it, cut it into four-inch lengths,  and spin-dry it in a salad spinner (ingredients should always be dry as possible to avoid hot oil splatters). Mix your bean curd (as Grace mentioned on one of our FB posts, don't be put off by the scent of the bean curd; and I can attest to the fact that it is a bit nasty smelling... but in the end, it tasted fabulous) with some dry sherry (or rice wine), roughly chop your garlic, and combine a bit of salt and sugar together.

As usual, you start by stir-frying your aromatics (garlic in this case), add the spinach and cook until it is starting to wilt, add the bean curd mixture, the salt and sugar. Viola! You have a delicious side dish to any meal you see fit. I served it alongside leftover pasta. Italian - Chinese... I have always been on the eccentric side; and it goes with what Andy's mom always insisted on -  having a green vegetable on the plate. Works for me.

I have a small confession to make - as I was preparing this dish taking mental notes, I thought to myself, I'm not going to care much for this dish for I'm not a fan of "stalky" vegetables. You know when greens are cooked, they wilt to nothing, leaving only the hard, chewy, sometimes fibrous stems - not my thing - and not in this case! I could have easily eaten the whole thing in one sitting - on its own - with nothing else - and I would have been happy.

I always have a hard time with conveying my thoughts on how to describe the taste... I'm the same way when I go to the doctor - how to describe what I am feeling - "I don't feel well - fix me!"

I'll try (try, being the operative word here): This dish has a mellow, earthy flavor, with a bit of saltiness - kinda reminiscent of miso soup - kinda - in the background kinda way (OK, enough of the word, kinda). It is best served warm, however, I thought it was just as delicious cold, while I sat here polishing it off as I wrote this post. Yeah. This was good.

You'll just have to take my word for it, that is was delicious, or go buy the book and a wok, and make it for yourself. And if you do, please leave me a comment on what you thought of this recipe.

The recipes in this book continue to amaze me. With just a few ingredients, you can have such a delicious outcome. I just can't say enough good things about Stir-Frying to the Sky's Edge. Best book yet!

We are asked not to post the recipes here on our blog. If you would like the recipe, you will find it on page 211 of  Stir-Frying to the Sky's Edge, which you can purchase at your local bookstore or find it at your local library. I highly recommend purchasing the book - you won't be disappointed. 

Wok Wednesdays is an online cooking group. If you would like information about joining us, click here, or visit us on Facebook. Would love for you to wok along with us!

WW: Vegetarian Five-Spiced Tofu

Wok Wednesdays wokking through Stir-Frying to the Sky's Edge
by the fabulous Grace Young

This was such a beautiful looking stir-fry!

Grace recommends using fresh water chestnuts, for they are far more superior than the canned. She even suggests substituting jicama, Asian or Bosc pears, if fresh is unavailable. This I did not know - for I have a habit of reading the entire recipe at the time of prepping and not beforehand. If I had known, I would have made an effort to find fresh.

I normally pass on recipes calling for tofu. Never have been of fan of it myself, though my husband loves it. He thought it was good in this dish - me, I did not care for it. I thought it to be a bit tough and on the dry side.

The flavor of this stir-fry was on the mild side; it did not have the wow factor that I have come to expect from past recipes.

It's very rare that a recipe from this book doesn't excite me. Can't win them all I guess!

Stay tuned for our next WW recipe: Stir-Fried Chicken with Pineapple and Peppers

Mise en place.

Bowl 1: Five spice tofu

Bowl 2: Garlic

Bowl 3: Carrots, red & yellow bell peppers, mushrooms

Bowl 4:  Salt, pepper, sugar

Bowl 5: Soy sauce, dry sherry, sesame oil

Bowl 6: Water chestnuts, scallions, pickled ginger

Bowl 7: Cilantro

One rule of the Wok Wednesdays group is we are asked not to post the recipes here on our blog. If you would like the recipe, you will find it on page 205 of Stir-Frying to the Sky's Edge, which you can purchase at your local bookstore or find it at your local library. I highly recommend purchasing the book - you won't be disappointed. 

 

Wok Wednesdays is an online cooking group. If you would like information about joining us, click here, or visit us on Facebook. Would love for you to wok along with us!

 

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