Deep Fried Tofu with Chilies and Lemongrass
- 14 ounces tofu
- 1 stalk of lemongrass
- 2 teaspoons salt
- Chili flakes
- Vegetable oil
Mince* lemongrass in a food processor. Add salt and chili flakes to the minced lemongrass and combine. For extra spice, add in a generous amount of chili flakes.
Cut tofu into 6 rectangular pieces and butterfly - slice tofu down the middle three-quarters of the way through.
Stuff the tofu with lemongrass, salt, and chili flakes mixture.
Heat vegetable oil and deep fry stuffed tofu until golden on both sides. After frying is complete, strain the oil and sprinkle the remaining lemongrass on top of the tofu because some lemongrass will fall out of the tofu.
Serve warm with rice.
*Asian grocery stores often sell containers of minced lemongrass in the freezer section, which can be used here. Store lemongrass in freezer to preserve freshness.
Vegetarian Hot and Sour Soup
- 10 ounces mushroom vegetarian broth or vegetable broth
- 20 ounces water
- 2 tomatoes
- 1 leek
- 1 can pineapple chunks (with juice)
- Bean Sprouts
- Firm or extra firm tofu
- Sugar
- Soy sauce
- Mushroom seasoning or salt
- Black pepper
- Cilantro
Bring water and broth to a boil.
While waiting for the soup to boil, chop tomatoes into chunks or wedges, cube tofu, and slice leeks thinly (white part only). Once the soup is boiling, add in half a can of pineapple juice—save the pineapple chunks for later. Let the soup continue to boil for 5 minutes with a lid on.
Season the soup with sugar, soy sauce, and mushroom seasoning to suit your palette. The end result should be sour, but not unpleasantly so. My grandma likes to add a dash of vinegar to intensify the soup’s sourness. Once the soup is well-seasoned, add in vegetables, tofu, and pineapples. The exact amount of vegetables, tofu, and pineapples added to the soup is dependent on the prefernce of the cook.
Serve hot on top of rice and garnish with cilantro and a sprinkling of black pepper.
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For Canh Chua Bac Ha, add button mushrooms and slices of bac ha, also known as Upright Elephant Ears, to the above recipe.
Roasted Japanese Eggplant with Scallions in a Chili Soy Sauce
For eggplant
- 3 Japanese eggplants
- Stovetop griddle
For sauce
- 1/4 cup scallions
- Vegetable oil
- 1/2 tablespoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon soy* sauce
- Vinegar
- Hot water
- Chili paste
Make eggplant
On a stovetop griddle, roast the eggplants with their skins on over medium heat. Roast each side until blackened and soft to the touch, which takes approximately 15 minutes per side. The eggplants’ skin will char and may even pop, but keep roasting until the flesh is softened on all sides.
Once the eggplant has been roasted, cover with aluminum foil to cool for 20-30 minutes. While the eggplant is cooling, prepare the sauce.
After the eggplant has cooled, peel off the skin with your hands or a paring knife. The skin should peel off easily if the eggplant has been properly cooked. Cut the eggplants’ flesh into bite-sized pieces and arrange on a plate.
Make sauce
Chop a quarter cup of scallions (white part only). Sautee the chopped scallions in a tablespoon of vegetable until translucent. Spread the sautéed scallions atop the eggplant once it has cooled and arranged on the plate.
Wisk together sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, water, and chili paste to form a sauce. Add vinegar and chili paste to your liking and enough hot water to thin out the sauce. Spread atop scallions and eggplant.
Serve warm with rice.
*Fish sauce can substituted for a non-vegetarian version.
