Javin's on a roll: tofu recipe

Got this via email:

"Ingredients:


• Tofu, firm 16 oz.
• Soybean oil 2 tablespoons
• Garlic clove, minced 1
• Mushrooms 1 cup sliced
• Peas (which I don’t have at this time) 1/4 cup
• Snow peas (which I don’t have at this time and is very optional) 1/2 cup
• Cashew(optional) 1/8 cup
• Water 3 tablespoons
• Cornstarch 2 tablespoons
• Oyster sauce 2 tablespoons
• Soy sauce 2 teaspoons
• Sugar 1/2 teaspoon
• Salt 1/4 teaspoon
• White pepper 1/8 teaspoon
• Green onion, thinly sliced garnish
• Sweet red peppers, thinly sliced garnish
• Yellow peppers, thinly sliced garnish

METHOD:
Rinse tofu, set on several layers of paper towels and allow to drain to remove excess water. Cut tofu into 1-inch cubes.

Heat wok or heavy skillet until hot over high heat. Add 2 tablespoons soybean oil and brown the garlic about 10 seconds.
Add cashew, peas and snow pease brown them with the garlic for 20 seconds. Add sliced onions mushrooms, artichoke hearts or bamboo shoots, peas and stir with a ladle until aromatic, about 1 minute.

Add 3 tablespoons of water and tofu. Bring to a boil and cover with pan lid.
Steam cook 1 minute and remove cover.

Add oyster sauce, soy sauce, sugar, salt, and white pepper.

Mix water and cornstarch. Add cornstarch solution to stir-fry, stir until thickened.
Serve family-style with freshly cooked rice or on noodles as a balanced meal.
Suggested garnish: thin slices of green onion, red and yellow peppers.

P.S. I really have to work on my platting. Sigh."

A big THANK YOU, Javs! Appreciate it. *wink*.

And Yet Another Tofu Recipe!

To those health conscious, tofu lovers: Here's another tofu recipe from New York City! This was sent by Javin and I'm copying and pasting everything.


"I called my yaya ( who has been with the family for almost 45 years) yesterday, who is in Bacolod, and ask how she is and how she is taking care of the Lizares Avenue estate after I left for the States for my much needed sojourn. Everything was ok and as usual she begged me to go home asap. Anyhow, I kinda remember my favorite dish from her as soon as we said our goodbyes. BREADED BEEF! So I decided to try it out with tofu and the results surprised me! NUHMUHT! Just like Yaya Linda was here in Harlem!

Ingredients
Tofu (wrap in paper towels to drain for 20 minutes)
Flour
Salt and Pepper
1 egg beaten
Bread Crumbs

Directions:
After draining the tofu for 20 minutes, slice them like you would when you slice your morning Ma-ling.


After which, heat up your oil for them frying. Assemble your bowls in a straight line. Put the following in each bowl in order. 1. flour,Salt & Pepper 2. egg 3. bread crumbs. Dip the tofu in bowl 1 then 2 then 3.


Afterwhich, you just dunk them in the fryer and fry em for 4 minutes each side.


P.S.
Today is such a beautiful day in NY! I must explore the east side of Manhattan after this soy full lunch! Bon Appetite darlinks!!"


Thank You, Jav! :)

Javin's Agedeshi Tofu

Got a surprise email from Javin Dearest! He sent me his Make-shift Agedeshi Tofu Recipe. I'd like to share it with all of you. Here it goes...


Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes


Ingredients:


· 2 blocks cotton Organic tofu

· ½ cup water

· ¼ cup soysauce

· 1 whole onion sliced

· 1 teabag tea

· 1 Tbsp mirin (optional)

· 1 Tbsp flour/corn starch and 1Tbsp water, mixed

· 3 Tbsp grated fresh ginger

· 2 Tbsp brown sugar

· Salt and Pepper to taste

· *flour/corn starch for dusting tofu

· *vegetable oil for frying.


Preparation:

To drain tofu, wrap tofu with paper towels and place it on a cutting board. Put another cutting board or a plate on top of the tofu and let sit for about 15 minutes. Dry tofu with paper towels and cut each tofu in half. Dust tofu with flour.




Meanwhile, put soy sauce, ginger, onion, teabag, and mirin in a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Add starch mixture in the sauce and stir quickly. Remove from heat.

Heat oil in 350 degrees F in a deep pot. Deep-fry tofu until they turn lightly brown.


Place each fried tofu in a small dish


Pour the sauce over it and let it stand for 3 minutes so that the sauce will be absorbed by the tofu!"


This dish will definitely make two people happy and healthy! Please try this recipe at home and let me know your thoughts....

And here's Javin dearest sporting his new "geeky look". Lovezit. :)

Black Mission Figs and Prosciutto Pizza

My dear cousin-ness from the other side of the Planet sent me photos of his own version of Black Mission Figs and Prosciutto Pizza which made me salivate like there's no tomorrow. Sigh! Suddenly, I miss the Figs & prosciutto pizza I had at one funky New York Pizzaria two years ago. Forgot the name of the Pizzaria though... Piggy something:



Now Here's cousin-ness version:



Now THAT is homemade pizza! Take note of the generous portion of Prosciutto! Yum! He claims to be "Giada" Garcia but I tell him that he's more of a "Barefoot" Garcia. hekhek!

He was sooooo kind to share his recipe. Here we go:

1 ball pizza dough

8 pieces black mission figs, stems removed and thinly sliced
1 cup Gouda cheese (Smoked variety is best)

1 cup fresh mozzarella, drained, patted dry and torn to pieces.
1 tbsp. good olive oil
2 tsp. honey
1 tbsp. freshly ground pepper
10 slices prosciutto
1 tsp. coarse cornmeal (to prevent the dough sticking) or you can use all purpose flour for dusting.

If you’ve got a pizza stone, preheat it. Otherwise, preheat a cookie sheet in a 500° oven.

Once your stone or cookie sheet are preheated and the oven’s nice and hot (I like to leave it on for at least a half hour before I put the pizza in), roll or stretch your dough out until it’s nice and thin.

Sprinkle the cornmeal on the pizza stone and then assemble your toppings. Since you’ve preheated the stone or cookie sheet, the bottom of the dough will begin cooking. This is a good thing since it’ll keep your pizza from being soggy in the middle.

Layer your sliced figs, then drizzle them with the olive oil and honey. Sprinkle with the black pepper, then add the cheeses, making sure to distribute them evenly. Bake for 10 – 12 minutes, or until the cheese is brown and bubbly.

Remove to a cutting board, layer with the prosciutto, slice and serve!




Thank you, Jav! Can't wait to try it out myself!!!