Hakka Dried Yong Tau Foo
1 leaner – 3 greens – 1 healthy fat – 3 condiments (per serving)
4 servings Ingredients: • 2 tsp almond flour • 1½ tbsp almond flour • 1 bitter gourd, cut into 4 pieces • 1 tsp cooking oil • 1 tbsp cooking oil • 1 small eggplant, cut into 4 pieces • 1 tsp minced garlic • 4 okra • 2 tbsp oyster sauce • 1¾ lbs. pollock fillet • 4 large red chili peppers • 8 fresh shiitake mushrooms • 7 oz. smoked tofu (tau kwa), cut into 12 squares • ½ tbsp soy sauce • ½ packet stevia • 3 tsp water • 1 cup water
Directions:
Prepare Sweet Sauce: 1. Preheat a small saucepan and add 1 teaspoon of cooking oil.
2. Stir-fry the minced garlic for about 30 seconds and add water, followed by soy sauce, oyster sauce, and stevia.
3. Stir until the stevia is completely dissolved.
4. Combine 2 teaspoons of almond flour with 3 teaspoons of water.
5. Pour the almond water mix into the sacuepan and continue to stir until the sauce is thickened.
Prepare the filling 1. Using a blender, blend the pollock fillet together with almond flour. Add some water if needed. The fish paste after blending should be sticky.
2. Pour it into a bowl, cover with clean wrap and chill in the refrigerator, while preparing other ingredients.
Prepare the veggies and tofu: 1. Remove the stems of the mushroom.
2. Cut the firm tofu into 12 pieces. Use a small spoon to scoop out the middle of each piece (be careful not to tear it apart). Save the scooped tofu, mince it and mix it into the fish paste. Set aside.
3. Cut off both ends of bitter gourd and then slice into 1-inch rings. Use your thumb to push out the seeds in the middle of each ring and discard the seeds.
4. Slice the okra and chilies in half lengthwise and scoop the seeds out.
5. Slice the eggplant into ½-inch pieces at an angle.
Stuffing the filling 6. Use a spoon or table knife to scoop the filling.
7. Stuff each okra, red chili, eggplant, mushroom and bitter gourd with the fish paste. Slightly overstuff the fish paste a little bit to the side and at the top, as the fish paste may shrink when it’s cooked. Shape any extra fish paste into a fishball.
Pan-fry the veggies: 8. Preheat a skillet with 1 tablespoon of oil. Panfry the veggies in batches until they are golden brown and cooked through. Each veggie may be cooked at different time. *
Tip: Brown the veggies and cover with lid to “steam” cook them; this quickens the cooking process.
