A very tasty tofu dish. Be sure to spoon plenty of the sauce over tofu before eating!

1 package firm tofu (16 oz.)
½ pound small or medium size raw shrimp
1 scallion, including the green top
1 tablespoon rice or cooking sherry wine
1 teaspoon cornstarch
½ teaspoon salt
Pinch of white pepper
2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil (for cooking in a non-stick wok or a fry pan)

Sauce:
½ can chicken broth (about 1 cup)
2 tablespoons oyster sauce*
1 teaspoon sesame oil
½ teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch dissolved in ¼ cup water

Preparation:
Rinse the tofu block with cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Cut the tofu in half lengthwise. Then cut the tofu crosswise into 20 (¼ inch thick) pieces. Peel, de-vein and rinse the shrimp. Cut the shrimp into very small pieces. Wash and trim the green onion, finely chop. Save 1 tablespoon of green onions for garnish. In a small bowl, combine the shrimp, onions, wine, cornstarch, salt and white pepper. Mix the ingredients together thoroughly. Carefully place 1 full tablespoon of the shrimp mixture between two pieces of tofu. Makes 10 tofu sandwiches. In a small bowl, dissolve 2 tablespoons cornstarch with ¼ cup water and set aside.

To Cook:
Heat oil in a non-stick 10″ frying pan over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, place the 10 pieces of stuffed tofu into pan. Pan-fry one side of the stuffed tofu for approximately 5 minutes until lightly golden brown. Carefully turn each stuffed tofu sandwich over, cover the pan with a lid and pan-fry for another 5 minutes. Remove the cooked tofu and place onto a serving plate.

In a small pot, heat the chicken broth with oyster sauce, sesame oil and sugar over medium heat and bring to a boil. Stir the dissolved cornstarch again and add to pot. Constantly stir and cook until the sauce thickens and becomes clear. Pour sauce evenly over the stuffed tofu. Sprinkle with remaining chopped green onions for garnish. Serve hot.

Makes 10 stuffed tofu
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 12 minutes

* Oyster sauce by the bottle is sold in the Asian section of the most supermarkets. After opening, it can stored for several months in the refrigerator.

Everyone eats a tuna salad sandwich now and again. Here’s Tuna fish salad with Chinese twist!

1 package firm tofu (14 oz. or 16 oz.)
2 cans solid white albacore tuna in spring water (5 oz. or 6 oz. each)
10 pieces sweet bread and butter pickles
1 scallion, including the green top
2 tablespoons soy sauce (Kikkoman brand)
2 teaspoons pure sesame oil
1 teaspoon red hot chili oil
½ teaspoon salt

Preparation:
Rinse the tofu block with cold water. Cut into small ½ inch cubes. Drain water from the canned tuna. Chop the sweet pickles into small pieces. Wash and trim the green onion, finely chop. In a large bowl, combine tofu cubes with tuna fish, pickles, green onions, soy sauce, sesame oil, chili oil and salt. Mix the ingredients together. Serve cold with wheat toast.

Makes 4 servings
Preparation time: 10 minutes

A family favorite! Otherwise known as “Mapo Tofu” . When living in NYC , I could always call any Chinese delivery restaurant and ask for it even when it wasn’t on the menu. It made me feel the comforts of home. Extra delicious when served over a bowl of steamed rice.

1 package firm tofu (14 oz. or 16 oz.)
½ pound fresh lean ground pork (8 oz.)
2 scallions, including the green top
4 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon canola or vegetable oil (for cooking in a non-stick wok or a fry pan)
1 teaspoon dried crushed red chili peppers

Sauce:
2 tablespoons soy sauce (Kikkoman brand)
2 tablespoons rice wine or cooking sherry wine
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 tablespoon hoisin sauce*
2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons pure sesame oil
¼ teaspoon black pepper

Preparation:
Rinse the tofu block with cold water. Cut into ½ inch cubes. Wash and trim the green onions, finely chop. Crush, peel and finely chop garlic. In a small bowl, mix the sauce ingredients together thoroughly and set aside.

To Cook:
Heat oil in a non-stick wok or a frying pan over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, brown onions, garlic and chili peppers for a few seconds. Add the ground pork. Stir-fry for approximately 2 minutes. Add tofu cubes to wok. Stir-fry for another 2 minutes. Stir the sauce, add to tofu and ground pork mixture. Stir-fry for another minute. Serve hot.

Makes 4 servings
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 5 minutes

*Hoisin sauce is a sweet brown sauce made from soybeans.  Sold in jars or bottles at the Asian section of most supermarkets.  After opening, it can be stored for several months in the refrigerator.

So it is our goal to provide you with wonderful pictures of the recipes we create and perfect. Tofu however is tough! Unless it’s deep fried or dried, it’s not all that attractive. And for those of you who are not big tofu eaters, you may never try this dish if we posted a pic. As an alternative, we gave a plateful to our best taste tester in the family to vouch for its yumminess. And while he’s only 19 months, he approves by enjoying two platefuls. That’s the greatest compliment any chef (Mom and Grandma in our case) can ever hope for! We think you and your family will also enjoy this light and healthy dish that is full of flavorful!

1 package medium-firm tofu (14 oz. or 16 oz.)
½ pound boneless and skinless chicken breast (about half breast)
2 cloves garlic
2 scallions, including the green top
1 tablespoon canola or vegetable oil (for cooking in a non-stick wok or a fry pan)
1 teaspoon pure sesame oil

Sauce:
2 tablespoons soy sauce (Kikkoman brand)
1 tablespoon rice or cooking sherry wine
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon sugar

Preparation:
Rinse the tofu block with cold water. Cut tofu into ½ inch cubes. Slice the half chicken breast lengthwise in half then crosswise cut  into ¼ inch thin pieces. Crush, peel and finely chop the garlic. Wash and trim the green onions, finely chop. In a small bowl, mix the sauce ingredients together until the cornstarch dissolves and set aside.

To Cook:
Heat oil in a non-stick wok or a large frying pan over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, brown the garlic and onions for a few seconds.  Add chicken pieces into the wok, cook and stir until the chicken is nearly cooked through, approximately 2 to 3 minutes. Add tofu cubes, cook and stir for 1 minute. Stir the sauce mixture and add into wok. Stir-fry for a few seconds until the dish thickens a bit and the sauce is well mixed. This is where the tofu breaks down a bit which is okay. Add the key ingredient, sesame oil!  Stir-fry for just a few seconds longer. Serve hot.

UPDATE: Here’s a recent Chicken with Tofu photo that doesn’t look so bad after all! It’s delicious.

Makes 4 servings
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 5 minutes