Pictorial: Dry Fish Stir-fried with Pressed Tofu

[hzrt8w]

Pictorial Recipe

Dry Fish Stir-fried with Pressed Tofu (小魚干辣椒)

This is a very popular Taiwanese snack (or appetizer). It is very easy to make at home.

Picture of the finished dish:

Serving Suggestion: 3-4 (appetizer)

Preparations:

Main ingredients (upper left, clockwise):

- 1 pack of small dry fish, about 5 oz

- 2 chili peppers (e.g. jalapeno peppers)

- Garlic, use 5-6 cloves

- Ginger, use 2-3 inch

- 1 pack of flavored (with five spice) pressed tofu

- (Not shown in picture) 4 stalks of green onions

Use a mixing bowl, soak the small dry fish in water for about 1 hour before cooking.

Cut the pressed tofu into small and thin shreds.

Peel and mince 5-6 cloves of garlic. Grate about 2-3 inch of ginger. Trim and shred 4 green onions (diagonally). Trim ends and cut 2 chili peppers into thin shreds.

Cooking Instructions:

Use a pan/wok, set stove to high. Add 3 tblsp of cooking oil. Wait until oil is hot. Add minced garlic, shredded chili pepper, grated ginger, 1/2 tsp of salt (or to taste), 2 tsp of chili bean paste and 1 tsp of brown bean sauce. Dash in 2 tsp of ShaoHsing cooking wine.

Optionally, add 2 to 3 tsp of sambal hot sauce or any other favorite hot sauce.

Make sure to stir the ingredients well.

Add the soaked dry fish (drain well first).

Add the shredded green onions and pressed tofu. Stir-fry for a few minutes. At last, dash in 2 tsp of dark soy sauce (or to taste) and 1 tsp of sugar. Mix well to spread the dark soy color evenly. Ready. Transfer to a serving dish. Drip in 2 tsp of sesame oil on top.

Picture of the finished dish.

(Note: The quantity of food made in this recipe is about twice the portion shown in this picture.)

Edited August 6, 2006 by hzrt8w (log)

[jkonick]

That looks really good! What is the consistency of the fish after they are soaked?

[hzrt8w]

That looks really good! What is the consistency of the fish after they are soaked?

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They are still a bit hard. But the contrast of the hard-ness of the dry fish and the soft-ness of the pressed tofu is good.