Braised Beef with Dried Tofu Sticks

Braised Beef with Dried Tofu Sticks

Ingredients

• 7 Dried tofu sticks (fuzhu)
• 400 Beef
• 1 Onion
• 2 Scallion sections
• 8 Garlic slices
• 1 Ginger julienne
• 1 Black pepper
• 1 Light soy sauce (for marinade)
• 1 Oyster sauce (for marinade)
• 1 Cornstarch (for marinade)
• 1 Peanut oil (for marinade)
• 1 Salt (for sauce)
• 1 Sugar (for sauce)
• 1 Light soy sauce (for sauce)
• 1 Oyster sauce (for sauce)
• 1 Yellow soybean paste (for sauce)
• 1 Cornstarch (for sauce)
• 3/4 Water (for sauce)

Instructions

1. Handmade dried tofu sticks — the star ingredient!
2. Prep the main ingredients and aromatics: slice the beef thinly, wash and soak the dried tofu sticks until softened (about 15 minutes), cut the onion into chunks, section the scallions, slice the garlic, and julienne the ginger.
3. Marinate the beef: add 1 tsp black pepper, 1 tbsp light soy sauce, 1 tbsp oyster sauce, and 1 tbsp cornstarch to the beef.
4. Mix everything evenly.
5. Drizzle in 1 tbsp peanut oil.
6. Mix again and let marinate for 15 minutes.
7. Prepare the sauce: in a bowl, combine 1 tsp salt, 1 tbsp sugar, 1 tbsp light soy sauce, 1 tbsp oyster sauce, 1 tbsp yellow soybean paste, 1 tbsp cornstarch, and about 3/4 bowl of water. Stir until smooth and set aside.
8. Heat oil in a clay pot.
9. Add the ginger and garlic, stir-fry until fragrant.
10. Add the onion and stir until fragrant, then spread it evenly across the bottom.
11. Lay the dried tofu sticks on top, spreading them flat.
12. Place the marinated beef on top, spreading it flat.
13. Pour the prepared sauce over everything.
14. Cover and simmer over low heat for about 8 minutes. Adjust the time and heat based on your stove — too much heat or too long and it will burn!
15. Add the scallion sections.
16. Simmer for 1 more minute, then turn off the heat.
17. Transfer to a serving plate.
18. Toss everything together — it looks even more appetizing under the light!
19. A close-up shot — looks like it came from a professional kitchen.
20. Time to eat!