Mama Lew's Ground Beef and Tofu 牛肉豆腐

Ingredients:

- 1 lb. ground pork
- 1 package medium firm tofu, cubed
- soy sauce
- 2 tsp. cornstarch
- 3-4 stalks green onion
- Hoisin sauce to taste
- 2-3 Tbsp. Olive oil
- 2 slices of fresh ginger
- 1 Tbsp. spicy sesame oil
Optional: Small Mushrooms


1) Marinate pork in soy sauce. Stir in green onions. Add cornstarch. Stir.
2) Put oil in large frying pan. Brown the beef.
3) Add in tofu and ginger (and mushrooms). Stir. Let simmer for 2-5 minutes.
4) Stir in spicy sesame oil. Add hoisin sauce to taste.

Za jiang mian 雜醬面 (Dark sauce tofu and pork on noodles)

1) Place into large frying pan on medium heat for 1 minute:

- 2 Tbsp oil

- 2 cloves crushed garlic

- 2 tsp. minced ginger

- 4 stalks of chopped green onion

2) Add 1/4c. of sweet bean sauce and stir. 

3) Add 1 lb. ground pork and brown it.

4) Add diced tofu and cook for 2 minutes. (The 5-spice dry tofu:https://garlicdelight.com/tofu-types/) Otherwise, just use regular firm tofu. I freeze and thaw mine before use to make it firmer.

5) Add 2 c. frozen shelled edamame (soy beans) and cook for 2 minutes.

5) Can add more sweet bean sauce to taste if needed. Cook on medium heat for 10 min. stirring often.

Serve over thick noodles or rice. Yum!

Rou yuan zi 肉圓子 (Chinese Meatballs)

- Add 2 c. chicken stock to 3 lbs ground pork butt

- 2 tsp. add soy sauce

- add 1 egg to meld together

- 3 stalks green onion

- 2 tsp. cornstarch to thicken

Stir about 40-50 times til soft and well-mixed.

Cornstarched!

Don't cry! Oh wait… green onions.

In a large pot: add 2 cups chicken stock, 2 c water, a couple of green onion twigs and 3-4 slices ginger. 

Heat on medium.

 In medium saucepan, add veggie oil to cover the bottom,

- roll meat into balls about the size of an egg, add it into oil, fry on high heat until browned on two sides. (Put water on hands to prevent meat from sticking to you!)

- add into the big pot once fried 

 

 

- cook on medium heat until tender (longer the better.. 30min?)
- add in tied tofu

- add in cabbage at the end

- Shiitake mushrooms and chopped garlic if wanted

Voila! Enjoy!