Ingredients
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon crushed Sichuan peppercorns
1/4 pound lean ground beef
2 tablespoons minced leek or scallion (white and light-green parts only)
1 teaspoon minced ginger root
1/4 cup broadbean paste (a fermented, reddish-brown condiment available at Asian markets)
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon Shaoxing rice wine
1/4 teaspoon salt (optional)
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup water
12 to 15 ounces (1 package) firm or soft tofu, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
Preparation
Directions:
Heat the oil in a wok over high heat. When the oil is hot, add the Sichuan peppercorns and cook for a few seconds, until some of them pop and crackle. Remove the wok from the heat; use a spoon to remove and discard the peppercorns.
Return the wok to high heat; when the oil is hot, add the beef, breaking it into small pieces and stirring for a minute or two, until it begins to brown. Add the following ingredients in order, stirring for 1 minute between each addition: leek or scallion and ginger, broadbean paste, soy sauce, rice wine, salt, if desired, and sugar. Then add the water, reduce the heat to medium and cook for 4 to 5 minutes; the mixture will bubble at the edges.
Add the tofu and increase the heat to high; cook, stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat; serve immediately.
Recipe Source:
Adapted from Lin-Liu’s “Serve the People: A Stir-Fried Journey Through China” (Harcourt, 2008).
245 calories, 14g fat, 3g saturated fat, 31mg cholesterol, 1358mg sodium, 26g carbohydrates, 2g dietary fiber, n/a sugar, 11g protein.
