Bean Curd Salad

⏱ 30 min 🔥 140 kcal 💪 9.9 g protein 🥬 5.1 g fiber 🥗 4 servings

Recipe inspired by Garden Time Homemade Cuisine

Ingredients

• 1.75 oz (50 g, about 3 sticks) dried bean curd sticks, soak in cold water for 2-3 hours

• 10 g (about 15 pieces) dried wood ear mushroom, soak in cold water for 30 min

• 1 lb (450 g) broccoli, cut into florets

• 1 medium carrot (2 oz or 60 g), peel and cut into slices

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 g (30) Szechuan peppercorn, toasted and ground

• 1 tsp chili flakes

• 2 tsp sesame oil

• 1 tbsp soy sauce

• 1 tbsp Chinkiang (Zhenjiang, Chinese black/dark) vinegar

Instructions

1 Soak the bean curd sticks in cold water for at least 2-3 hours, or overnight in the fridge. Cut them into bite-size pieces.

2 Soak the wood ear mushrooms in cold water for 15-30 minutes, wash thoroughly. Check each mushroom, find the stem and cut it off with scissors.

3 Cut the broccoli and carrots into bite-size pieces.

4 Bring a large pot of water to a boil, on medium high heat, boil the carrots for 2-3 minutes, take them out using a mesh strainer, drain off as much water as you can and transfer to a bowl. Similarly, boil the broccoli for 3-5 minutes (in 2 or more batches); wood ear mushrooms for 3 minutes, and bean curd for 2-3 minutes.

5 Toast Szechuan peppercorn in a small pan for about 2-3 minutes on medium low heat, let it cool completely and grind up using mortar and pestle.

6 Heat up 2 tsp of sesame oil in a small pan over medium low heat, add the minced garlic and let it cook for 2-3 minutes or until slightly golden. Turn off the heat, add the ground peppercorn, chili flakes, give it a mix, then add the soy sauce and vinegar.

7 Add the dressing to the salad and toss well. Chill the salad in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Tips

1. Take a trip to explore your local Chinese grocery store! You should be able to find bean curd sticks, dried wood ear mushrooms, Szechuan peppercorn, and Chinkiang vinegar there. If not, try an online grocery store.

2. Dried bean curd sticks are made from the "skin" formed on the surface of boiling soy milk. It's packed with plant protein and fairly high in calcium. It has a chewy yet soft meaty texture.

3. Szechuan (Sichuan) peppercorn is the signature flavor of Szechuan cuisine. It is potent, fragrant, and has a mouth-numbing effect. You may be able to find peppercorn powder or peppercorn oil. Feel free to use them. If you find peppercorn oil, use 1 tsp peppercorn oil and 1 tsp sesame oil in the dressing.

4. Chinkiang (Zhenjiang, Chinese black/dark) vinegar has a deep and complex flavor and aroma. It is widely used in many Chinese dishes. Try to find this ingredient, it will elevate the flavor of this salad. If you cannot find it, use rice vinegar.

5. Frying the garlic in step 6 will bring out more oil-soluble flavors and mellow the sharpness and spiciness. However, if you love the taste of raw garlic, simply add raw garlic to the salad.