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Ingredients
4 dried bean curd sticks, broken crosswise in
half
1 quart oil
2 quarts boiling water
6 cups water or vegetable broth
Vegetables
12 red dates, soaked with seeds removed
1/2 can ( 15 ounces) button mushrooms, drained
24 canned white nuts (gingko nuts), drained
1/2 can winter bamboo shoots, roll-cut
10 to 12 whole fresh or canned water chestnuts,
cut in half
12 dried black mushrooms, reconstituted, stems
removed and cut in half
12 dried cloud ears, soaked, tough parts removed
1 package (1 ounce) black moss, rinsed well
in colander under hot water
Seasonings
1/2 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons sugar
4 pieces (cakes) red bean curd
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
6 baby bok choy, cut in half lengthwise
1 carrot, peeled, roll-cut
Cornstarch paste (Optional)
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Method
Place 2 quarts boiling water in a bowl.
To deep-fry, heat 1 quart oil in a wok to 365°.
Add bean curd sticks in small batches and deep-fry
each batch for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. Remove sticks and
immediately plunge them into a bowl of boiling water.
Allow sticks to soak for 15 minutes to soften. (Deep-frying
bean curd sticks help them hold together better when
cooked.) Break or cut sticks into 2-inch lengths.
To braise, bring 6 cups water or broth to a boil in
a wok or large pot. Add bean curd sticks and all VEGETABLES,
except black moss. Bring to a boil. Add black moss
and SEASONINGS. Stir to break up clump of black moss
and bean curd cakes. Cover and simmer for 1 1/2 hours
until bamboo shoots become tender. Stir occasionally
to break up black moss with chopsticks, and adding
a little water if mixture becomes too dry. It should
have enough liquid to bubble while braising. Adjust
SEASONINGS to your taste.
(At this point, the mixture can be divided into smaller
portions. Add the bok choy and other colorful vegetables
to the portion that you want to eat. Dividing the
mixture would be suitable for a smaller family or
gathering. The remaining mixture will keep well for
3 to 7 days, covered in the refrigerator without the
cornstarch thickener added, which causes it to spoil
a little faster. Chinese will reheat this mixture
and eat it for many days after New Year’s celebration,
adding various fresh vegetables of choice for each
meal.)
To finish braising, add baby bok choy (and other vegetables)
and bury them under the cooked vegetables. Cook for
4 to 5 minutes or until bok choy or vegetables are
done to your liking. To serve, you can thicken the
sauce with a small amount of cornstarch paste, if
desired. Stir in sesame oil just before serving.
Serves 10
Notes
1. This is a traditional vegetarian dish believed
to help purify your internal system and soul. Oftentimes,
bean threads (soaked in warm water until softened)
or noodles are added to this mixture. If you are not
a strict vegetarian, you may want to try traditional
ingredients such as, dried oysters or mussels which
have been presoaked in warm water for 30 minutes and
drained. You may want to substitute of add napa cabbage
cut in large pieces, baby mustard greens, bok choy
hearts (choy sum), canned baby corn, lettuce leaves,
snow peas, sugar snap peas, roll-cut carrots, onions,
fresh or reconstituted wood ears, for a different
version of this dish and to add color.
2. Black moss is a fungus which looks like black hair
or fine black noodles. Its name in Chinese is called
fat choy which sounds like the words meaning good
fortune. It is an ingredient traditionally found in
this dish.
3. If you are not a strict vegetarian, you may substitute
chicken broth for the water.
Chef's Quote
JAI - A traditional Chinese New Year dish
This vegetarian dish is purported to have originated
with Buddhist monks who were forbidden to eat living
animals. It is traditionally known as “Jai” in Chinese
and is popularly eaten around Chinese New Year on
the lunar calendar. It is a vegetarian dish believed
to help purify and cleanse the body and the soul.
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