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Xiaocong ban doufu
Cold tofu with spring onion
小葱拌豆腐 (xiaocong ban doufu): cold tofu tossed with chopped spring onion and sesame oil
Xiaocong ban doufu is a northern Chinese home dish, especially popular in Beijing and Shandong on hot summer evenings, so simple that it has given Chinese a proverb about being clear as 'green onion and white tofu'. Soft tofu is blanched, cooled, cut into cubes and tossed with a heap of chopped spring onion, sesame oil and a little salt, so it is cool, silky and fresh. Serve it beside stir-fried vegetables and a little rice or a wholewheat bun. It is suitable as part of a balanced diet. About 120 kcal and 3 g carbohydrate per portion. The usual mistake is stirring hard so the tofu breaks into crumbs; fold it gently with a spoon. Chef's tip: blanch the tofu in salted water for a minute, which firms it up and takes away the raw beany taste.
- Total time
- 10 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 14 oz soft or medium-firm tofu
- ½ tsp saltfor the blanching water
- 4 spring onionsfinely chopped
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
- ¼ tsp salt
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Method
0/3 doneStep 1: Bring a pan of water to the boil with ½ tsp salt. Slide in 14 oz soft or medium-firm tofu in one piece and simmer for 1 minute, then lift it out and cool it in a bowl of cold water.
2 minStep 2: Drain the tofu, pat dry and cut into 1.5 cm cubes. Put in a serving bowl.
3 minStep 3: Scatter over 4 spring onions, ¼ tsp salt and 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil and fold very gently with a spoon until every cube is coated. Serve straight away.
1 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 120 kcal
- Protein
- 10 g
- Carbs
- 3 g
- Fat
- 8 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does xiaocong ban doufu take?
- About 10 minutes in total: 8 minutes to prepare and 2 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 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.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of spring onions?
- Chives, or a little finely sliced onion.
- What can I use instead of toasted sesame oil?
- Toasted sesame seeds ground with a little vegetable oil.
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