let hot pot boil when snowed in

2-17-2015 Tue. very cold, sunny. 


BREAKFAST --- coffee | Beijing-style yogurt | oats and milk | bread and cheese | apple AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- tea | apple 
DINNER --- hot pot ( green leaf vegetables, rolled tofu skin, frozen fermented tofu, fried tofu, lamb, needle mushroom, shiitake mushroom, wood-ear,dried shrimp), sha-cha and tahini dipping sauce  | wine 

 

• the  frozen slightly "stinky" tofu  has pretty good sponge-like texture, absorbing hot-pot broth flavor well.

cooking as an entertainment

9-23-2010 Thu. hot, humid.


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- pasta with red pepper sauce ( leftovers )
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- apple | tea | sesame flute cookie
DINNER --- parboiled fresh soybeans | sauteed yellow zucchini with sofrito sauce | steamed fermented tofu with ginko nuts and pickled vegetables | Shanghai style braised short ribs | rice | fennel and bartlett pear salad | wine

• a full scale dinner in a week evening, cooking is the entertainment.
  

Stinky tofu

9-12-2010 Sun. cool, misty.


WEEKEND BREAKFAST --- coffee | baguette | brie | concord grapes | sugar nut melon | Chinese chive pancake
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- green tea | steamed crabs
DINNER --- steamed fermented tofu with pickled red chili, bamboo shoots and wood-ear | ratatouille ( eggplant, yellow and green zucchini, green beans stewed with caramelized onion and tomato ) | rice | fennel and avocado salad | red wine

• stinky tofu showed up again on the shelf of the local Chinese grocery store after several months of absence.
  

Vegetables and tofu

4-27-2010 Tue. mild, sunny


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- rice with sauteed bean sprouts
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- apple
DINNER --- stir-fried Chinese string beans and smoked tofu | sauteed taro roots | steamed fermented tofu with vegetable pickles | rice | red wine

• one can do a lot with vegetables and tofu.
  

Making pizza for Italian guests

4-24-2010 Sat. mild, cloudy

WEEKEND BREAKFAST --- coffee | coconut cream bread | apple
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- green tea
DINNER --- fermented tofu tempura | tofu-skin rolls with taro root and mustard green | poached spring bamboo in white miso dressing | chilled sake | pizza with toppings of eggplant, onion, mushroom, hot chili and sheep cheese (caciocavallo) | rose wine

• the pizza crust got full praise from Italians, some reserve on the toppings.

• the stinky tofu tempura was a hit.

Fish stew and bitter melon

4-19-2010 Mon. mild, sunny

BREAKFAST --- coffee | Pocky thin bread sticks
LUNCH --- rice with sauteed Chinese eggplant
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- green tea | apple
DINNER --- fermented tofu tempura with dashi dip and grated daikon | sauteed bitter melon with fermented black beans | fish stew of cod and baby Yukon potatoes in red pepper cream sauce | rice | red wine

• on the dinner plate: fish stew is creamy red, bitter melon is bright green, and steamed rice is soft white
  

Nanjing stinky tofu

3-28-2010 Sun. mild, cloudy

WEEKEND BREAKFAST --- coffee | croissant | grape fruit | pan-fried gyoza | apple
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- green tea | Xingjiang green raisins
DINNER --- Nan-jing fermented tofu steamed in shrimp sauce and sesame oil | Matsuzaka noodles with shiitake, snow pea leaves and shrimp | red wine

• there are many kinds of fermented tofu, some are like blue cheese, with strong taste and interesting flavor that not for everyone. The tender white square of Nan-jing style is also nicknamed " stinky tofu", and has very distinguished smell and texture.
  

Tempura of fermented tofu

• 3 pieces Nanjing fermented tofu
  
• cooking oil for deep frying
  

for the batter :

• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup flour
  
• 1/2 tsp five-spice powder
  
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup water
  

for the dip:

• 1/4 cup dashi stock
  
• sesame seasoning
  
• 1 tbs soy sauce
  
• 1 tsp hot chili sauce ( optional)
• grated daikon
  

1. mix the ingredients for the dip, except daikon that is served in a separate small bowl
2. mix the ingredients for the batter, add more water if the mixture is not runny enough, chill the batter for 30 minutes before deep frying
   
3. cut the tofu into triangle wedges
   
4. heat the cooking oil in a deep-frying pan, over high heat
5. dip the tofu into batter to coat well, put into the frying pan, fry till golden brown
   
6. put the tofu tempura on a paper towel to remove the oil, serve hot with the dip and grated daikon
   

Steamed Nanjing fermented tofu

• 4 pieces Nanjing fermented tofu, cut into triangle wedges
  
• 1 tbs spicy pickled gourd, finely chopped
  
• 1 tbs pickled bamboo shoots, finely chopped
  
• 1 pickled long red chili, chopped
  
• 2 tbs coarsely chopped shrimp (optional)
  
• 2 tbs coarsely chopped shiitake or wood-ear
• 1 green onion, finely chopped
  
• 1 tsp minced ginger
  
• 1 tsp rice wine
• 1 tsp soy sauce
  
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• salt and white pepper
  
• sugar
• 1 tsp rice vinegar
  

1. in a sauce pan, heat 1 tsp sesame oil over medium heat
   
2. add ginger and green onion, saute for a minute
3. add rice wine, soy sauce, sugar, and rice vinegar, cook the mixture for 3 minutes
   
4. in a shallow bowl, layer the tofu wedges at the bottom, and three pickled ingredients on the top
5. put the shrimp on the top, sprinkle some salt and white pepper
   
6. pour the mixture in the bowl
7. cover the bowl with plastic wrap, steam over high heat for 10 minutes
   
8. let the bowl sit for a couple of minutes, serve hot