Home-style Tofu (家常豆腐)

家常豆腐

Home-style Tofu (家常豆腐) — Home-styleSichuan / national home cooking home cooking.

Ingredients

• firm tofu
• pork belly or shoulder, thin slices
• green bell pepper, cut into squares
• carrot, thinly sliced
• dried wood ear mushrooms, soaked
• doubanjiang (fermented chili bean paste)
• light soy sauce
• garlic, sliced
• ginger, sliced
• scallions, chopped
• cornstarch slurry (1 tbsp cornstarch + 2 tbsp water)
• neutral oil

Instructions

1. Cut tofu into 1.5 cm thick slices, then into triangles or squares. Pat completely dry with paper towels — dry tofu sears instead of splattering. (Tofu surface looks matte and dry, no beading water)
2. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a skillet over medium-high. Fry tofu in a single layer until deep golden, about 3 minutes per side. Set aside. (Bottom edge turns golden then deep amber; a crisp 'tiger skin' forms)
3. Lower heat to medium, add remaining 1 tbsp oil. Fry pork slices until they start to render and brown slightly at the edges. (Pork edges turn light brown and fat turns translucent)
4. Add doubanjiang, garlic, and ginger. Stir-fry 1 minute until the oil turns red and smells fragrant. (Oil turns deep red-orange and the paste clings to the meat)
5. Add carrot and wood ear, stir 1 minute. Return tofu, add soy sauce and 1 cup water (250 ml). Bring to a simmer and cook 5 minutes. (Sauce bubbles gently around the tofu; tofu edges darken as they soak up color)
6. Add green pepper and half the cornstarch slurry. Push the sauce gently (don't stir the tofu) until it turns glossy. Add the rest if you want a thicker coat. (Sauce turns glossy and clings to the back of a spoon)
7. Off heat, fold in scallions. Serve immediately with steamed rice. (Glossy red sauce, golden tofu, bright green pepper — classic home-style look)