Kung pao tofu

4 servings

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
5 tablespoons Rice vinegar
1 tablespoon Brown sugar
3 tablespoons Soy sauce
2 tablespoons Chinese sesame oil
½ To 1 ts crushed red pepper
¾ pounds Very firm tofu cut in bite size cubes
½ cup Minced onion
2 larges Or 3 sm celery stalks cut in small dice
1 medium Carrot; cut in small dice
½ cup Bamboo shoots cut in small dice
1 cup Peas; fresh if possible
½ cup Diced water chestnuts
1 cup Lightly toasted cashews
4 mediums Garlic cloves; minced
6 Scallions; whites only cut in 1/2\" pieces
2 smalls Or 1 md zucchini cut first in thin strips then into small dice
1½ tablespoon Cornstarch
2 tablespoons Peanut oil or
2 tablespoons Chinese sesame oil for sauteing
½ teaspoon Salt
1 cup Peanuts; preferably roasted and unsalted
2 Cakes tofu kan or 5-spice tofu

Directions

VARIATION (SAUTEED TWELVE

AFTER ADDING TOFU, ADD

In a medium-sized bowl combine vinegar, sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil and red pepper; mix to combine. Add the diced tofu, and tip the bowl in each direction to allow all the tofu to come into contact with the marinade. Cover, and let marinate for at least an hour.

Prepare the onion, celery, carrot, and bamboo shoots and place these together in a bowl. Set aside.

In a separate bowl combine peas, garlic, scallions and zucchini; set aside.

About 15 minutes before serving time, place the cornstarch in a small bowl. Drain the marinade from the tofu into the bowl. Whisk this mixture until the cornstarch dissolves. Set aside, leaving the whisk in the bowl.

Heat a medium-sized wok. Add 2 tb. peanut oil or sesame oil. When it is hot, add the bowlful of onions, celery, etc. and the salt, and stir-fry over high heat for about 5 minutes.

Add the second bowlful of vegetables (peas, garlic, etc.) and stir-fry another 2 to 3 minutes, keeping the heat high.

Add the drained tofu. Stir-fry another 3 to 5 minutes--until all the vegetables are *just* tender.

Whisk the cornstarch mixture from the bottom and pour it in. Stir-fry several more minutes, then add the peanuts. Serve immediately, over rice.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings.

From _Still Life with Menu_ by Mollie Katzen. From: scregger@... (Sheri Cregger) in rec.food.veg.cooking.

Formatted by Cathy Harned.

Submitted By CATHY HARNED On 12-01-94

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