Tofu puffs, Beans and Black Fungus Stir-fry – Vegetarian Dish

One of my favourite stalls at the wet markets in Hong Kong is the one selling soybean sprouts and other soy bean products such as bean curd, vegetarianchicken, gluten etc. Bean curd puffs or dauh-bôk 豆卜in Cantonese are those small yellow cubes.  Cantonese people love bean curd and you can find various forms of bean curds incorporated in their local dishes.

 

Top right angle:deep fried tofu (bean curd)

 

The puffs are small pieces of bean curds that are deep fried. They are usually combined with vegetables, with or without meat, in stir-fries or stews. They can also be added in soups or stuffed with minced fish or meat (or a mixture of the two).

Bean curd is a good source of protein and an important food element in vegetarian diets. I like to make bean curd dishes on our meatless /green day, such as the one below.

Tofu puffs, beans and black fungus stir fry

 

 

Ingredients

• ¼ catty (HK$7) tofu puffs (remove excess oil by rinsing them quickly in boiling water)
• Carrot, a few chunks (as on my photo) or slices
• 1 handful of black fungus (dehydrated in water for 1-2 hours; washed and drained)
• 1/2 catty (~300g) green beans (or yard beans/string beans cut into 4-5” length)
• 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 1 slice of ginger, crushed
• 1 tsp. sesame oil

Seasoning:

• 1 Tbsp. light soya sauce
• 1 Tbsp. oyster sauce
• ¼ tsp. sugar
• Salt and ground black pepper, to taste

 

Steps:

1. Rinse the dehydrated black fungus and drain well.
2. Blanch carrot slices (chunks).
3. Heat vegetable oil in a wok. Add garlic and ginger and stir until fragrant.
4. Add green beans and seasoning, and stir well. Continue stirring until beans are half cooked. Add black fungus and tofu puffs in wok, cover and cook until beans are cooked.
5. Adjust seasoning if needed. Add sesame oil and toss well.
6. Transfer to a dish and serve hot.

 

Notes:

1-    The carrot slices add some bright colour to the dish.

2-    Dauh-bôk (tofu puffs) are quite oily: rinse them briefly in boiling water to remove excess oil.

 

Enjoy!