Recipe #10: braised tofu, spinach and shiitake mushrooms in black bean sauce
This is my version of a beloved dish from another favourite long-gone restaurant from my youth, Young Lok in Toronto. Young Lok was a classic semi-authentic Szechuan Chinese restaurant, located in the Village by the Grange plaza near downtown Chinatown, and a family favourite all through the 1980s and 90s. When Young Lok closed its doors, I thought I’d never have anything like their braised tofu (or as their menu called it, “bean curd”) in black bean sauce again, and I haven’t. But I think this version comes pretty close—thanks to a special ingredient, without which this recipe would be a mere shadow of its aspirations. I’m going to split this recipe into two parts: the pre-cooking of the tofu, and the final braised dish. Part I: pre-cooking the tofu, or “bean curd”. Ingredients: Directions: First, pat dry and squeeze some moisture out of your firm tofu with a clean tea towel. Then slice the tofu into serving size cubes: Next, line a cookie sheet with parchment paper ...