Stir-Fried Tofu Skin with Peppers and Wood Ear Mushrooms
素炒豆腐皮 · pan chinese cuisine
Soaking the tofu skin briefly in a baking-soda solution makes it very soft and helps it absorb the sauce during stir-frying.
Fiona AldridgeUK mum of three, sourdough starter named Barry is four years old. I bake through my nan's recipe box and post the wins and the collapsed sponges.Nutrition & allergens
Contains:SoyWheat
Some ingredients are not yet allergen-surveyed; this label is not exhaustive.
Per serving (4 servings)
- Energy (kcal)
- Unknown
- Protein (g)
- Unknown
- Fat (g)
- Unknown
- Carbs (g)
- Unknown
- Sodium (mg)
- Unknown
Estimated from verified ingredient data for the original formula — not lab values, and one dish is not a full meal.
1.0 piece — cut into triangles
1.0 piece — cut into chunks
1.0 piece — cut into chunks
7.0 piece — soaked until rehydrated, torn into small pieces
20.0 piece
0.6 oz
0.6 oz
0.07 oz
salt盐
to taste
0.53 cup
food-grade lye (alkaline salt, kansui)食用碱
0.07 oz
Techniques you'll use
- Blanching (chao shui) ↗
Par-cook in boiling water to clean, tighten, or prep ingredients.
- Aromatic blooming (bao xiang) ↗
Bloom ginger, garlic, and chili in hot oil to build the aroma base.
- Stir-frying ↗
Cook small pieces in stages, then bring them together while their textures are distinct.
- Starch thickening (gou qian) ↗
Thicken sauce so it clings to every piece.
Steps
Soak the wood ear mushrooms ahead of time until rehydrated, rinse them clean, then boil them in a pot for 2 to 3 minutes. Drain, rinse under cold water, tear into small pieces, and set aside.
✅ Done when: The mushrooms are plump and fully rehydrated after their 2-3 minute boil.
- 2
Step 2
Cut the green and red bell peppers into chunks. Mix 1 spoon of starch with half a bowl of water and stir until smooth; set aside.
✅ Done when: The slurry is smooth with no visible lumps of starch.
- 3
Step 3
In a clean container, combine 2 g of food-grade baking soda with a bowl of hot water and stir until dissolved.
✅ Done when: The baking soda is fully dissolved in the hot water.
- 4
Step 42 min
Cut the tofu skin into triangles and soak them in the baking-soda water for 2 minutes, then remove and drain well. Key point: tofu skin soaked in soda water becomes very soft and absorbs flavor well when stir-fried.
✅ Done when: After 2 minutes the tofu skin feels noticeably soft and pliable.
Heat a wok, add oil as needed, and toast the Sichuan peppercorns over low heat until fragrant, then push them out of the pan with a spatula and discard.
✅ Done when: The peppercorns are fragrant and the oil smells toasty.
Add the bell peppers and stir-fry until just cooked through, then add the wood ear mushrooms.
✅ Done when: The peppers turn glossy and slightly softened but still hold their color.
Add the tofu skin, stir-fry to combine evenly, then reduce to low heat.
✅ Done when: The tofu skin pieces are evenly coated and heated through.
Add the light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, vegetarian oyster sauce, sugar, and salt to taste, and stir-fry until evenly combined.
✅ Done when: The tofu skin is evenly colored with the sauce and no pooling liquid remains.
Pour in the starch slurry (stir it first to prevent settling) and stir-fry until the sauce thickens.
✅ Done when: The sauce coats the ingredients and has visibly thickened.
- 10
Step 10
Transfer to a plate and serve.
✅ Done when: All pieces are plated with a glossy, clinging sauce.