Hei-Do Tofu

When I was a child, my mom used to make a delightful stir-fry called Ma-Po Tofu. It was an especial treat because it had pork. My mom cooked mostly vegetarian throughout my childhood, so this was a notable departure from the norm (stir-fry with tofu was well within the norm).

Last month, I had a hankering for that same Sichuan dish, so I clicked through the first search result Google gave me: Ma-Po Tofu recipe from Epicurious. The result was satisfyingly similar to my memories, so I filed it away for a repeat.

And that repeat came last night. I contemplated the black beans thawing in the fridge and thought, "I can pretend that's pork." And thus Hei (black) - Do (bean) Tofu was born.

Hei-Do Tofu with a side of bok choy.

Hei-Do Tofu

Ingredients.

• 1/4 cup vegetable broth
• 2 tbsp black bean paste
• 1 tsp chili sauce
• 1 tbs soy sauce
• 1 lb regular (not silken) tofu, drained and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 1/2 to 2 tbsp canola oil (#rdconfession: I used lard.)
• 1 15-oz can black beans, drained and rinsed, or 2 c. cooked black beans
• 1 tbsp + 1 tsp garlic, finely minced
• 1 tbsp + 1 tsp fresh ginger, peeled and finely minced peeled 
• 1 tbsp cornstarch dissolved in 2 tbsp water
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Japanese sesame oil
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon toasted Sichuan-peppercorn powder (or freshly ground black pepper if you're like me and haven't hunted down Sichuan peppercorns yet)
• 3 tbps green onions, thinly sliced

Get everything ready before you start stir-frying!

Directions.

1. Make sauce: Stir together broth, bean paste, chili sauce, and soy sauce. Set aside.
2. Poach tofu: Slide tofu into a saucepan of simmering water and keep at a low simmer while stir-frying rest of dish.
3. Stir-fry black beans: Heat a wok or large heavy skillet over high heat until hot and add 1 1/2 tablespoons oil, swirling to coat. Add black beans and stir-fry until heated through. Add garlic and ginger and stir-fry over moderate heat until very fragrant, about 2 minutes. Deglaze pan with 1/4 cup water.
   
4. Finish stir-fry:
   • Stir reserved sauce, then add to beans and bring to a simmer. Drain tofu in a large sieve and slide into sauce, stirring gently.
   • Stir cornstarch mixture and add to stir-fry. Bring to a boil, stirring gently, and cook until thickened and glossy, about 15 seconds.
   • Turn off heat and sprinkle with sesame oil, pepper to taste, and 2 tablespoons green onions. Stir once or twice, then serve sprinkled with remaining tablespoon green onions.

Bonus.

Instead of draining the tofu out of the simmering water, remove with a slotted spoon and use the hot water to blanch chopped bok choy. Add the stems first and then greens a minute later. Swish around and drain once bright green. Toss with sesame oil and rice vinegar; top with sesame seeds.