In my everyday scheme of things, unless there is something special I want to try or someone special I want to prepare something for, meals have no strict planning: I keep the stuff of big flavour on my pantry/larder shelf and wait for the seasons to change. If I don’t have it growing in my garden or on my windowbox, I haunt the end of the day discounts at the local shops (bless em)–when it comes to fruit and vegetables, I do not bother with a grocery list.
Sometimes dinner will be a result of a scrounge around the fridge, the pantry, the root vegetable bin, to combine with the great sauces and spices I keep on hand, such as this one: tofu which was begging to be cooked soon, some dinosaur kale/cavala nero leftover from last week’s ribollita, and–while I’d lie to say there were baby peas from from the garden, the truth is they were in my freezer taking up room and I wanted to make room for a pint of ice cream.
Also, I love peas. When I posted this on Facebook, a Taiwanese “friend” suggested instead of the peas to use lengths of green onions/scallions/spring onions. I knew immediately that it would be wonderful, but alas, we had already eaten it. So I tell you for next time: lengths of green onions!
Tofu with Szechuan Taste and Vegetables
Serves 4, or halve it and serve two.
The amounts? Not carved in stone: you have more kale, use it; you want spring onions/green onions instead of peas, definately! savoy cabbage instead of Napa cabbage? Great. Ditto on the sauces and flavourings: you’re going to have to dance your way through it, adjusting amounts and tasting until it feel delicious perfect.
3-4 cloves garlic, smashed or chopped
About 1 teaspoon chopped ginger
Large pinch cumin seeds
2 tablespoons cooking oil, or as needed
3 tablespoons chile bean sauce or hot chile paste
4-5 cavalo nero/dinosaur kale leaves, sliced medium thinly
About one tub of firmish tofu, drained, then cut into bite sized pieces
1/2 Napa cabbage, cut into bite sized pieces
Peas: really, as much as you’d like: I added a big handful or perhaps a teacup full. should be say: 4 oz/125 g?)
Szechuan peppercorns, toasted preferably, again to taste: maybe a big pinch, maybe a teaspoon? probably somewhere in between
1 teaspoon or more, to taste, toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon or more to taste good soy sauce
To taste; chile oil, preferably homemade (with spices and black beans); see blog archives for wonderful recipe
Sprinkling of coriander/cilantro leaves as desired
Heat a wok or big nonstick heavy frying pan and when hot stir fry the garlic, ginger, and cumin seeds in the oil for a few moments; do not let garlic brown. Stir in the chile bean sauce, then add the kale and tofu; cook, turning over mixture, every so often. It will probably get dry and threaten to scorch: add a little water or stock.
Stir-frying add the Napa cabbage and peas, toss a few times, then the Szechuan peppercorns, sesame oil, soy sauce and chile oil. Remove from heat and serve sprinkled with cilantro/coriander if you like, over steamed rice.
With over 70 cookbook titles (including contributions) to her credit, Marlena conjures up flavours and dishes from the Mediterranean to Mexico, California to France to the Italian islands and single subjects such as chili peppers, olive oil, mushrooms, to a book on classic Jewish food from all over the world.
