Recipe - Ma-Po Dou-Fu

3 cup To 4 cup cubed bean curd,
about 1 One half japanese style,
ot 34 smaller
Chinese cakes
1/3 pound To One half pound fatty pork
3 teaspoon To 5 teaspoon finely chopped
fresh ginger
One fourth cup Coarsely chopped green onion
1 tablespoon To 2 tablespoon hot bean sauce
1 cup Pork of chicken stock or
water (best with stock)

SEASONINGS
2 tablespoon To 3 tablespoon cornstarch mixed 46
tb water
1 teaspoon To 2 teaspoon salt, depending on
the saltiness of the
hot bean sauce
1 tablespoon Rice wine or dry sherry
1 tablespoon Soy sauce
One half teaspoon Ground szechwan pepper
4 tablespoon To 5 tablespoon cooking oil

OPTIONAL
2 tablespoon Finely chopped garlic (never
cook without it.. (g))
1 teaspoon Fermented black beans (works
well)
2 To 3 dried or fresh
mushrooms (soso in it)
6 To 8 pieces wood ear (I
think these taste like
rubber)
1 tablespoon Sesame oil (include)

(this dish should be VERY hot)

TO PREPARE: 1. Cut the bean curd into small cubes. If desired, palce the
bean curd in boiling water in a wok or pot and boil until the bean curd
starts to float. This procedure firms the bean curd slightly and is
especially advisable if you are using soft japanese style bean curd. 2.
Chop the pork into small pieces, about One fourth inch by One fourth inch, or slightly
smaller. Chop the green onion coarsly. Chop the ginger as finely as
possible. 3. Mix the SEASONINGs in a cup, first dissolving the cornstarch
in water and then adding the other ingredients.

TO COOK: 1. Heat 45 tbsps cooking oil in a wok or large frying pan until
very hot. (This recipe actually calls for rendered pork fat, but I
invariably use vegetable oil and fatty pork instead.) Add the pork pieces
and cook briefly. Then add the hot bean sauce, stir and add the chopped
ginger. Stir until the meat and ginger have absorbed the red color from the
hot bean sauce. Add 1 cup of stock or water. Then carefully add the bean
curd cubes and stir gently. 2. Allow the liquid in the wok to cook down
somewhat, keeping it over medium flame. Stir occasionally, being careful
not to break the bean curd cubes. Just before the liquid has cooked away,
stir the seasonings and add the green onion. Stir, check for salt. The
consistency should now be very thick, almost custard like. If necessary add
a tbsp or so more cornstarch first mixing it with a few tbsps of water to
make a thin paste. Sprinkle ground Szechwan pepper over the bean curd.
Serve hot. Should be eaten on top of rice.

From The Good Food of Szechwan: Down to Earth Chinese cooking. Robert A.
Delfs. Kodansha International Ltd.

From Gemini's MASSIVE MealMaster collection at www.synapse.com/~gemini