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Celery with smoked tofu
Qincai chao xiang gan 芹菜炒香干: Chinese celery stir-fried with smoked tofu strips and chilli
Market stalls in Changsha and Nanjing sell slabs of xiang gan, pressed tofu smoked or braised until brown and dense, and the most common way to cook it at home is with thin Chinese celery. The celery stays juicy and crunchy with a strong, almost herbal flavour, the tofu is chewy and smoky, and a little fresh chilli gives it a Hunan edge. It is an everyday side for rice in Hunan and Jiangsu canteens. The usual mistake is cutting the tofu too thick so it never picks up the seasoning; slice it as thin as the celery. Chef's tip: if you can only find thick Western celery, peel the strings off the back with a vegetable peeler and slice it on the diagonal.
- Total time
- 16 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 3
Ingredients
- 10 ½ oz Chinese celeryleaves removed, cut into 4 cm lengths
- 7 oz smoked tofucut into thin strips
- 1 fresh red chillicut into strips
- 2 cloves garlicsliced
- 2 tbsp neutral oil
For seasoning
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ tsp sugar
- ½ tsp toasted sesame oil
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Method
0/4 doneStep 1: Heat 1 tbsp neutral oil in a wok over a medium-high heat. Fry 7 oz smoked tofu, tossing, until the edges brown and crisp a little, then lift it out.
3 minStep 2: Add the rest of 1 tbsp neutral oil and fry 2 cloves garlic and 1 fresh red chilli for 20 seconds, until fragrant.
1 minStep 3: Turn the heat to high, add 10 ½ oz Chinese celery with ¼ tsp salt and toss until it turns bright green and glossy but still snaps.
2 minStep 4: Return the tofu, add 1 tbsp light soy sauce and ½ tsp sugar and toss for 30 seconds. Finish with ½ tsp toasted sesame oil and serve hot.
1 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 180 kcal
- Protein
- 13 g
- Carbs
- 6 g
- Fat
- 12 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does celery with smoked tofu take?
- About 16 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 6 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 3 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- What can I use instead of chinese celery?
- Fennel bulb, same weight.
- What can I use instead of fresh red chilli?
- Green chilli, same amount.
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