Bean Curd Szechuan Style

This recipe gives bean curd a great spicy kick. Serve over rice for a tasty midweek supper.

This meal is enhanced with authentic Szechuan flavors and spices. To lessen the spiciness level, just reduce the number of chili peppers.

What Is Szechuan Style Bean Curd?

The spicy dishes of Szechuan cuisine are well-known. Traditional Szechuan spices such as Thai bird chile peppers, dried red chilis, and Sichuan peppercorns are used to flavor Szechuan style bean curd. This meal also contains ground pork and other spices. It tastes well with rice.

Ingredients You’ll Need

• silken tofu
• ground pork
• oil
• Thai bird chili peppers
• dried red chilies
• Sichuan peppercorns
• minced garlic
• minced ginger
• spicy bean sauce
• chicken broth
• cornstarch
• sesame oil
• sugar
• green onion

(Note: Full recipe is at the bottom of the post)

How to Make Bean Curd Szechuan Style

• Warm a wok or pan over medium heat. Add the oil, Thai bird chili peppers, and dried red chilies. Stir infrequently until fragrant. When the peppers and oil are done, remove from the fire and put aside.
• Over medium heat, add the remaining oil to the wok. simmer for 1 minute with the ginger, then add the garlic and simmer for another minute. Turn the heat up to high and stir in the ground pork. Break up the meat and stir often until thoroughly cooked. Stir in the Sichuan peppercorns for around 15-30 seconds.
• Stir in the spicy bean sauce until well combined. Stir in the chicken broth. Allow the mixture to boil for approximately one minute. To form a slurry, combine water and cornstarch in a small bowl. Mix until everything is combined.
• Stir in the cornstarch mixture in the wok. Cook until the pork mixture thickens. If it becomes too thick, add a dash of water or chicken stock.
• Combine the saved chili oil and peppers in a mixing bowl. Stir the oil, peppers, and tofu into the pork mixture. To integrate the tofu into the pork mixture, gently toss it. Cook for another 3-5 minutes before adding the sesame oil, sugar, and scallions.

Szechuan Peppercorn

Szechuan peppercorns are not spicy, but they do provide a numbing feeling in the mouth. They are accessible in most Asian stores and online. If you can’t get them, normal black peppercorns or coriander seeds will suffice.

What Is The Difference Between Tofu And Bean Curd?

Tofu and bean curd are almost identical. The main difference is in the manufacturing method. Tofu is prepared by combining water and soybeans to make a soft paste. After that, the paste is sifted and pressed into blocks. Soy milk is curdled and then pressed into soft blocks to make bean curd.

What Is Szechuan Style?

Szechuan cuisine refers to the traditional culinary technique of Szechuan Province. This region of China has very high humidity and several wet days. Red pepper is said to help eliminate interior moisture, which is why hot peppers are used in Szechuan recipes. Szechuan recipes often feature garlic, ginger, and spicy bean sauce in addition to pepper.

Is Bean Curd Szechuan Style Vegan?

This dish contains ground pork. To make it vegan, leave out the pork and replace it with fermented bean paste or finely chopped shiitake mushrooms to enhance flavor.