First off, please pardon the naming of this dish. There is a real authentic Chinese name for it (香乾肉絲) but unfortunately no perceivable English translation (see Lost In Translation). So for now, we’ll call this Spicy Tofu Meat Magic. Yum!

This is easily one of my top three noms from mom and is a regular on Nancy’s Homecoming Menu. And it’s SO easy to make – which makes it even more of a shame that I had never made it up until an hour ago. Here goes:

Ingredients

• 1 package marinated bean curd (tofu)
• 1/3 pound chicken or pork (I used 1 chicken thigh here)
• 1-2 Asian red peppers – I actually don’t know what this is called, it’s a spicy pepper that I can only find at the Chinese grocery stores
• Soy sauce to taste
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tbsp sesame oil

Spicy red peppers and marinated bean curd (tofu)

Slice up the tofu into thin strips

Slice up the peppers.

Before: chicken

After: chicken

Stir-fry and mix it up!

Instructions

1. Cut the chicken or pork into small, long-ish pieces (the size of a Mike and Ike). Marinate them in a splash of oil and soy sauce and a pinch of salt and pepper (5-10 minutes)
2. Chop the tofu into long strips and slice the pepper(s) diagonally (again with the long-ish strips)
3. Heat half of the sesame oil in a pan or wok. Cook the meat until browned. Remove from heat and set aside.
4. Use the rest of the sesame oil and cook the tofu and peppers together, about 5 minutes. Add the cooked meat, more soy sauce and cook for a few minutes longer.
5. Taste, season, taste again and enjoy!