1 Box of Tofu Two Ways ~ Tofu with Mixed Vegetables

I've mentioned before that hubbs likes to eat tofu.  I like it too.  Did I mention that hubbs has been promising my mum to make her some tofu since...hmm.....about 6 years now.  After finding out that his mother would make tofu when he was younger, mum said she'd love to try some.  "OK, it's easy my husband says."  Well, since that day, we got married, bought a house and have even started our family.  Tofu?  Well, it's still in its raw state!  I bought him the soy beans, I even got gypsum powder to coagulate the tofu.  He says he needs a food processor to grind the beans.  I keep telling him you can use a blender but it's falling on deaf ears.  My brother laughed and said the only chance mum will get to eat fresh home-made tofu is from her grandson!  Ermm....the boy is 2 months old.  Lets not too much pressure on him!

Anyway, I bought a box of fresh tofu from the market and some green pak choi - or Shanghai pak choi my mum calls it.  We ate this Sunday evening for our dinner, I had some marinated pork steaks in the freezer and the tofu vegetable dish I created accompanied it.

I fried the tofu slices in some oil in a hot wok.  I hadn't realised how incredibly smoky it gets!  I scooped out the tofu and drained them on paper towels.  Next went in the carrot slices and soaked, chopped shiitake mushrooms.  I added some bamboo shoot slices (from a jar) - I just love that crunchy texture!  In went some of the mushroom soaking liquid to cook the vegetables before adding the green pak choi and the Chinese leaves.  For seasoning, I added a splash of fish sauce (keeps the Vietnamese part of my hubby happy), a splash of soy sauce (that's a nod to my Chinese roots), a blob of oyster sauce and a sprinkling of white pepper.  After making sure the seasoning was as I liked it, I slipped the tofu slices back in to mingle with the flavours before thickening with cornflour paste.

The pork steaks are flavoured with char siu seasoning from a packet (Red Roast Pork, Lobo brand) and were grilled for around 6-8 minutes each side until beginning to char.  I drizzled with honey and turned off the heat.  I served with plain rice and the pork juices dribbled over.

Best bit?  Hubby loving his dinner!  I even made enough for a rice-box lunch for him too!  I am much too good to him!