34. Chinese dried bean curd salad (liang cai)

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拌干豆腐丝

According to the forecast, the weather in Oxford could reach today 22 degrees!! I am so looking forward, cannot wait to be in the sun. I am Leo, without sun, I don’t function. :))
So today’s dish is a salad－ perfect for this weather. :))

Chinese dried beancurd

Dried bean curd sheet is one of my favorite soya bean made food , and is probably one of the dishes I miss the most since I came to England.

Same as tofu, it requires freshness, so it is not good for shipping, and because it is not a typical Cantonese food, there was no production in England, so it was impossible to get it here.

Around 3 years ago, in a Chinese supermarket in Manchester, (the buyer is from Northeast China), I suddenly saw a small pack of dried bean curd sheet in the chiller -- I almost screamed. It is packed in a air-tight plastic package, which I have never seen it like that before. So you can imagine, it is a bit dryer than the really fresh ones, but I am very grateful already.


Nowadays, in many Chinese supermarkets which sell the food from mainland China, you can find this packed beancurd sheet (in the chiller). If you ever see it, never miss the chance.

Dried bean curd can be made into salad , stir-fried or in soup, or just by itself. When I was in primary school, there was an old lady selling dried bean curd in a small piece. After you paid, she would take a piece of bean curd sheet, and wipe some salted sesame paste, put a small piece of spring onion and roll it up -- pass it to you.


This is what was called a ‘snack’ in China.

The small business was very popular, after school, the queue was formed up very quickly, many students were waiting for it, then having it on the way home. My dad never trusts the hygiene of this kind of street food, so he would make it for me at home ... but he makes the best. :)) I will blog this ‘wrap’ next time.

The recipe: Chinese bean curd salad (Liang cai)

Here is one of the ways to make into salad, also my dad’s recipe.

Ingredients

Dried bean curd sheet, coriander (optional)

Salt, sesame oil, light soy sauce, sesame paste, sugar.

Preparation

1) Try to open the beancurd sheet carefully, spread as a whole sheet.

2) Optional cleaning: use hot water soak and rinse it quickly.

3) Chop the sheet into around 0.5cm width strips.

4) In a small bowl, add in 1 teaspoon of light soy sauce, 2 tablespoons of sesame oil, 2/3 teaspoon of salt, around 2 (or more) tablespoon of sesame paste, 1 teaspoon of sugar. Mix everything well, until the sesame paste dissolves into the liquid.

5) Chop a few leaves of coriander.

Mixing

Pour the seasonings onto chopped beancurd sheet, and add in coriander, mix everything well. If you like spicy, add a few drops of chilli oil . It can be as a main salad dish, or side dish. Good to go with different kinds of rice and beer.