Today is Chinese New Year! Traditionally, the night before Chinese New Year, Chinese families will gather around and eat dinner together, much like this plate from the LEE & LOW title, Auntie Yang’s Great Soybean Picnic:
Auntie Yang’s Great Soybean Picnic author and illustrator Ginnie and Beth Lo were kind enough to share one of their favorite soybean recipes with us: Mapo Tofu! While not a traditional Chinese New Year dish, the Lo sisters say that “mapo tofu is a Lo family favorite that we eat on the holidays, Christmas, and Chinese New Year.”
MAPO TOFU
- Stir fry in small amount of veg. oil about 1lb of ground pork unseasoned over med-med hi heat. Salt lightly. When it is just losing its pink color add 1 ½ to 2T soy sauce and 1T sugar. Stir fry until done. Remove from pan, set aside.
- Stir fry one chopped onion in veg. oil until translucent. Set aside (you can put it in with meat).
- Stir fry in remaining oil, 2T or more hot chili sauce (hot bean paste with chile, or hot chili sauce with garlic etc.), for 30 sec – 1 minute.
- Add 2 packages cubed firm tofu, the pork and the onion, stir fry until well combined. Add edamame, frozen green peas and cook 10 minutes or more, until flavors are well blended. Add salt or more hot sauce to taste.
Just before serving, remove from heat and add 3 scallions, finely chopped and 2T Chinese Sesame oil, stir and serve.
Enjoy, and feel free to let us know how it turned out!
Further reading
