Vegetable Recipes - Braised Chinese Vegetables Recipe

Ingredients

Serve 4

• 2-3 tablespoons dried wood ears or 5-6 dried Chinese mushrooms, soaked in water for 20-25 minutes

• 250 g/8 oz firm tofu

• 4 tablespoons vegetable oil

• 125 g/4 oz carrots, sliced

• 125 g/4 oz mangetout, trimmed

• 125 g/4 oz Chinese leaves, sliced

• 125 g/4 oz canned sliced bamboo shoots or whole baby corns

• 1 teaspoon sugar

• 1 tablespoon light soy sauce

• 1 teaspoon corn flour mixed to a smooth paste with 1 tablespoon cold water

• salt 1 teaspoon sesame seed oil, to finish (optional)

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Method:

1. Drain the mushrooms, discard the hard stalks, then rinse and cut the flesh into small slices.

2. Cut the tofu into about 24 small pieces, then put them in a saucepan of lightly salted boiling water for 2-3 minutes, so that they become firm. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain.

3. Heat about half of the oil in a flameproof casserole or heavy-based saucepan until hot. Add the tofu and fry until lightly browned on both sides.

4. Remove the tofu, then heat the remaining oil in the pan. Add the vegetables and stir-fry for about 1-2 minutes. Return the tofu to the pan, add 1 teaspoon of salt, the sugar and soy sauce and stir well.

5. Cover, reduce the heat and braise for 2-3 minutes. Pour the corn flour paste over the vegetables and stir.

6. Increase the heat to high to thicken the sauce, then sprinkle in the sesame seed oil, if using, and serve.