STIR FRY FRIED BEANCURD WITH CUCUMBER

Supposed to be a meatless, vegetarian dish but since I have some prawns lying in the fridge, I just add them in.  If cooking vegetarian meal, leave the prawns out.

A rather tasty, spicy delicious dish, simple and healthy.  Great to serve with rice.

Ingredients

2 pieces firm beancurd [taukwa] - cut cubes

1 medium size cucumber - seeded and cut cubes

50 gm prawns - shelled [optional]

1 heaped tablespoon fried vegetarian sambal

some salt to taste

1. Fry prawns with some oil until firm.  Add in the fried taukwa, cucumber and sambal.  Add more if you like it more spicy.
2. Stir fry to mix well.  Drizzle in some water so that the flavours are well absorbed.  Bring to boil.
3. Dish up to serve immediately.

STIR FRY CELERY WITH MUSHROOMS

Just back from overseas trip, missed my meatless dishes.  Out of over 30 main meals during the trip, there was only one meatless meal which I really enjoyed.  It was a vegetarian food buffet treat, a wide range of dishes and desserts.  The food  was delicious.  We were all smiles and satisfied for that.  Sounds crazy, most people would go for the fresh seafood, yummy duck, pork and chicken dishes given a choice. 

Back to this stir fry celery with king oyster mushrooms.  It is a quick stir fry vegetable dish.  The celery is crunchy and the mushrooms are sweet.  I loved the celery crunchy and would not over fried them.

Ingredients

3 stalks of celery - cut slantwise

1 red chilli - sliced

1/2 red carrot - peeled and sliced

100 gm king oyster mushrooms - sliced

2-3 dried mushrooms - soaked and sliced

Seasoning

1/2 tsp mushroom stock granules

1/2 tsp salt

dash of pepper

1/2 tsp sesame seed oil

some cornstarch water for thickening

1. Pan fry sliced mushrooms and ginger without oil until aromatic.  Add in some oil.  Continue to fry for a few seconds.
2. Add in carrots, stir fry for several minutes.  Add some water and seasoning.  Bring to a rolling boil, then add in celery and red chillies.  Stir fry to mix well.  
3. Thicken with some cornstarch water.  Drizzle in sesame seed oil.
4. Dish up to serve immediately.

BRAISED TOFU PUFFS WITH DONG QUAI

Simple, homey dish that is nutritious and healthy for the family.  This dish is easy to prepare but tastes good with just a good quality soy sauce seasoning.  Extra flavours with the used of Dong Quai and wolfberries.

The flavourful sauce definitely goes well with steaming hot rice.

Ingredients

[serves 2]

1-2 tbsp minced meat

100 gm tofu puffs - cut into halves

a few florets of soaked black fungus

2 slices Dong Quai

1 tbsp wolfberries [kei chee]

a handful of garlic - peeled and keep whole

1-2 slices ginger

Seasoning

2 tbsp light soy sauce

1 tbsp cooking wine

1 tsp sesame seed oil

1. Saute ginger and garlic with some oil until fragrant.
2. Add in minced meat, fry until meat turns white.
3. Add in Dong Quai, black fungus and tofu puffs.  Give it a good stir to mix well.
4. Add in seasoning, stir to mix before adding some water.  Bring to boil until tofu puffs are soft and gravy reduced to slightly thick.
5. Add in wolfberries, drizzle in sesame seed oil. Mix well.
6. Dish up to serve.