Tofu Dan Dan Mian

Name: Tofu Dan Dan Mian
Ingredients: 1 packet firm or extra firm tofu; 1/3 cup shallots, chopped and fried (you can buy these pre-fried at international supermarkets); 3 tablespoons amino acids, soy sauce, or tamari (i use amino acids); 2 tablespoons brown sugar; 1 teaspoon chinese five spice; 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar; 1/2 teaspoon sesame tahini; 2 tablespoons sichuan peppercorn or other chili oil (use less if you're really sensitive to spice); 1 teaspoon ground black pepper; 1 teaspoon salt - to taste; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 2 cups warm water; 2 teaspoons nice olive oil, plus more for frying shallots; 4 hard boiled eggs, peeled (omit if vegan); 1 pound egg noodles, cooked (you can sub rice or rice noodles if gluten free); shredded fresh carrots; blanched baby bok choi; chopped scallions (optional); chopped peanuts (optional)

19 ingredients

5 steps

Ingredients

1 packet firm or extra firm tofu
1/3 cup shallots, chopped and fried (you can buy these pre-fried at international supermarkets)
3 tablespoons amino acids, soy sauce, or tamari (i use amino acids)
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon chinese five spice
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon sesame tahini
2 tablespoons sichuan peppercorn or other chili oil (use less if you're really sensitive to spice)
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon salt - to taste
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups warm water
2 teaspoons nice olive oil, plus more for frying shallots
4 hard boiled eggs, peeled (omit if vegan)
1 pound egg noodles, cooked (you can sub rice or rice noodles if gluten free)
shredded fresh carrots
blanched baby bok choi
chopped scallions (optional)
chopped peanuts (optional)

Directions

1

if your shallots are not pre-fried, in a cast iron skillet over high heat add in nice olive oil and the shallots. salt a bit and fry the shallots. remove shallots from the pan once fried and crispy.
2

to prep the tofu, i freeze it in its package then unfreeze it. once mostly thawed i open it over a colander in the sink and it basically crumbles into a ground beef like substance. i wash it under warm water and set aside to drain.
3

in the same pan you fried the shallots in over medium heat add 2 tsp olive oil and add the ground tofu. season with some salt and the pepper and cook for a minute or so by itself. now add in the soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, and chili oil - mix. after another minute next, add the brown sugar, chinese five spice, and garlic. and mix again.
4

now in a separate bowl, combine the warm water with the sesame tahini. once combined pour over the tofu mixture and reduce to a simmer. cover and cook for at least one hour. with about 30 minutes left, poke a few fork holes in the peeled hard boiled eggs and add them in so they soak up a bit of the sauce.
5

to serve, ladle sauce over cooked egg noodles and add blanched baby bok choi, shredded fresh carrots, the hard boiled egg and scallions. also peanuts if you want them.