During our trip to Paris, my husband Lulu indulged in many cheeses and French desserts. Now that we’re back home, we’re back to healthier meals. In keeping with that spirit, I prepared a tofu dish with young bamboo shoots, carrots, baby corn and cucumbers.
Fresh bamboo shoots provide a meaty, slightly crunchy texture and incredible subtle flavor to the dish. If you happen to find this unusual ingredient fresh at your local Asian grocery store, be sure to give it a try.
1. Info for Bamboo Tofu Recipe
- Cook Time: 15 mins
- Total Time: 25 mins
- Servings: 6
- Calories: 123kcal
2. Ingredients for Bamboo Tofu Recipe
- 1 (16-ounce) package firm tofu
- 1 small white onion, cut into thin wedges
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, finely minced
- 3/4 cup soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 clove garlic, finely minced
- 1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce
- ½ cucumber, halved lengthwise and thickly sliced
- 1½ cups fresh bamboo shoots, thickly sliced
- 1 cup baby corn, cut into thirds
- 1 carrots, sliced on the bias
- 1 tablespoon tapioca starch
- 4 tablespoons canola oil
- ¼ cup dark soy sauce
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
3. Directions:
- Preparing the tofu: Cut the tofu into 1¼-inch slices. In a wok, heat 2 tablespoons oil. Pan-fry the slices on both sides until golden. Cut the slices into cubes. The tofu should have a nice fried outer crust and still be moist inside. Transfer the tofu onto paper towels. Sprinkle with salt.
- Prepping the veggies: In the same wok, using the same oil from the tofu, sauté the bamboo shoots and carrots. Stir and cook until shiny. Add ¼ cup water to soften the carrots. Do not over-cook, as they will finish cooking with the tofu; you still want them to hold their shape. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
- In the same wok, drizzle about 1 teaspoon of oil. Add the minced fresh ginger and garlic and cook for about 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Add the onion wedges, tofu, bamboo shoots, carrots, corn and cucumber. Stir-fry for 3-4 minutes, sprinkle with sugar and add the chili garlic sauce. Transfer to a plate.
- In a small bowl, dissolve the tapioca starch in ¼ cup water and 2 tablespoons soy sauce. Stir well. Set aside.
- Pour the tapioca mixture in the wok. Bring to a boil. Add a drizzle of water if necessary, stirring constantly to prevent the starch from sticking to the bottom of the wok. The liquid will thicken very quickly.
- Return the veggies and tofu. Add the remaining soy sauce. Check the texture of the sauce; it should be thick and syrupy. The liquid from the vegetables will thin the sauce a little bit. Stir constantly until all the sauce is evenly distributed. Toss well for 2-3 minutes. Check seasoning (add more salt if necessary). Add black pepper. Turn off the heat. Keep on the stove for about 5 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter.
- Serve on a bed of shredded Chinese cabbage with fried, garlic-flavored steamed brown jasmine rice.
- Eat with chopsticks!