Mapo Tofu

This dish consisting of slippery cubes of bean curd in a rich scarlet sauce is an instantly recognizable Sichuanese classic. It's always a standout at my beloved Han Dynasty's monthly epic tasting dinners, and after attending the last one I consulted my Sichuan bible, Fuschia Dunlop's Land of Plenty, for a good recipe so I could satisfy the mapo tofu craving whenever it arose. The recipe is remarkably straightforward if you, like I, have collected a couple key ingredients - which is totally worth your time and investment to do if you like cooking this cuisine. I'm still scraping at the dregs of the giant jar of Pixian doubanjiang (authentic-as-it-gets Sichuan chili bean paste) my husband gifted me with two years ago (!), and will be instantly re-ordering when I finally run out. It lends its indelible fire and funk to not just this delicious mapo tofu, but to many other Sichuan dishes as well. I'm very happy to always have some on hand so that now, armed with this fantastic recipe, I can whip up a batch of mapo whenever the craving hits.

Ma Po Tofu
Makes 3 servings

Adapted from Fuschia Dunlop's Land of Plenty 

*1 block tofu (12 oz to a pound), cubed
*Scant 1/2 cup peanut oil
*A couple ounces of ground pork
*1/4 cup chili bean paste
*1 clove garlic, minced
*1 small nub of ginger, minced
*1 tablespoon fermented black beans, rinsed
*1 cup chicken stock
*1 teaspoon sugar
*1 teaspoon finely ground roasted Sichuan peppercorns
*4 teaspoons cornstarch mixed with 6 teaspoons cold water
*Light soy sauce
*3 scallions, 2 sliced in larger diagonal pieces and the final sliced thinly for garnish
*Sesame seeds for garnish

Put the tofu cubes in gently simmering salted water while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.

Pour the peanut oil in a wok over medium-high heat and when it is nearly smoking, throw in the pork. Using a wooden spoon, break it up into small pieces and stir-fry for about 5 minutes or until the pork is beginning to brown and crisp. Reduce heat to medium and add the chili bean paste; stir fry for about 20 seconds before adding the beans, garlic and ginger. Continue cooking for another 20-30 seconds before pouring in the stock. Sprinkle in the sugar and peppercorns, and season with soy sauce (I use less than a teaspoon). Gently drain the tofu and add the cubes to the mix, stirring carefully to not break them up too much. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 5 or 6 minutes, stirring every now and again. Throw the larger pieces of scallion in about half-way through.

To thicken the sauce, add the cornstarch slurry a teaspoon at a time and mix well after each addition - only use as much as you need to thicken it to your desired consistency. Serve garnished with thinly sliced scallion and a spangle of sesame seeds, with rice.

Kedgeree

It's fun to learn what other people keep as mainstays in their kitchen. You think you know a person, only to find out that they are opening tins of "kipper snacks" and getting to the bottom of tubs of goats' milk yogurt on the regular. Such was my experience when I agreed to house/pet sit for a good friend of mine; she left me a panoply of groceries and a note encouraging me to take anything in the pantry or fridge that I wanted, so I of course had to take stock. In the pantry were a couple boxes of aforementioned kipper snacks and in the fridge, a half-empty carton of goats' milk yogurt plus another, unopened. I was fascinated and delighted. Eyeballing the kippers, I thought to use them in a batch of kedgeree, a Brit-Indian dish of spiced rice, eggs and smoked fish first brought to my attention at the superlative Lawrence in Montreal. I decided that the dish could use a little tang, so I stirred in some of the goats' milk yogurt as well - it turned out to be fabulous. Every spoonful yielded tasty fish fragments, greenery, voluptuous egg, warming spices and toothsome rice. I loved it. I think I'll be stacking kipper snacks in my pantry from now on, too. Maybe leave the goats' milk yogurt to my friend, though.

Kedgeree
Makes 2-4 servings

*1 organic egg per intended serving

*2 1/2 cups leftover cooked basmati rice (Cooked with a shard of cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds, a couple crushed cardamom pods, and a clove, ideally!)
*1 tablespoon ghee or butter

*1 small onion, somewhere between diced and minced

*1 clove garlic, minced

*1 teaspoon Madras curry powder

*1/2 teaspoon turmeric

*1 teaspoon cumin

*1/4 teaspoon coriander

*1 tin smoked kipper fillets (or smoked haddock, or another smoked fish), flaked, pin bones removed

*Good handful chopped parsley and cilantro

*1 heaping spoonful Greek or goat yogurt       

*S&P

Bring a pot of water to a boil and soft-boil the egg(s). Meanwhile, in a wide skillet, melt the ghee over medium-low and saute the onion until soft, then add the garlic. Sprinkle in the spices and let bloom before adding in the rice and fish. Cook a few minutes on low to heat everything up, while you remove the soft-boiled egg. Run it under cold water and peel gently. Stir in the herbs and yogurt, season to taste, dish out and fleck each serving with quartered or chopped soft-boiled egg.

For the record, I did scrape off the skin on the kippers (Crown Prince brand) and fed them to the lovely kitty I'm caring for. If you're not icked by fish-skin then that isn't necessary. 

Herbed Pearl Couscous Salad

Cold pasta salads are ubiquitous during high summer, but for good reasons - they're excellent vehicles for summer produce, they're delicious, and can be made in advance and left to loiter in the fridge (or in the cooler toted to a picnic) until needed. This is one of my absolute favorites to make; the pearls of Israeli couscous deviate from the well-trod rotini rut, and it is superlatively tasty and cooling on a hot summer day. It's a nice way to showcase all the herbs that are exploding on my porch, too - the basil, parsley and cilantro provide a rich green backdrop for the mint to accent in refreshing little flourishes.

Herbed Pearl Couscous Salad
Makes 5-6 servings

*1 1/3 cup pearl (Israeli) couscous

*1 cup water

*3/4 cup vegetable stock (or, just use 1 3/4 cup water)

*1 small onion, thinly sliced (or, about a half cup of caramelized onions)

*2 packed cups of assorted herbs: my breakdown is 1 cup parsley, 1/2 cup cilantro, a palmful of basil leaves and a couple sprig’s worth of mint leaves, maybe 7-8. Mint is essential, but don’t overdo it!

*1 clove garlic                        

*1/4 cup olive oil

*S&P

*Handful of pistachios, toasted and chopped

*Handful of arugula or nasturtium leaves, chopped

*Healthy squeeze of fresh lemon juice
*1/2 teaspoon citrusy hot sauce (I love Chile Spot's Fatalii Fantasii Sauce for this)

In a pot over medium heat saute the onions in some evoo until translucent if you're not using caramelized onions. Remove the onions and add the couscous; saute a few minutes while you bring the water and stock to a boil. Add the boiling water/stock to the couscous, stir well, cover, and cook on low for about 11 minutes. Make the herb pistou by blitzing the herbs along with the oil, garlic and pinches of S&P in a small food processor.  Add the pistou, nuts, onions and greens to the couscous, mix everything together well, and then season with the hot sauce, lemon juice, and S&P to taste. Serve at room temp or chilled.