Asian inspired pasta

I am still experimenting with tofu.  I think the reason why I'm not loving it, it's because it doesn't soak up the flavour of what ever I'm marinating it with.   I figured maybe I need a sauce that would stick to it.  I then started experimenting with go-chu-jian, a Korean hot sauce paste.  It was delicious.  I made it with some pork and the tofu tasted better than the pork.  (About pork.. I've recently found my taste buds not liking the taste of pork as much as I use to.  I think it might be a good one to stop buying/cooking)

Tonight, I was thinking of making a vegetarian version of ma-po tofu, but instead of cutting the tofu, I just smashed it with my fingers to crumble it.  And it resembles chucks of cooked ground meat! Except the colour wasn't right :P I added a zucchini for some veggies and found the zucchini didn't play well with the fermented black bean as both have slight bitter taste to it and I found the combination just wasn't right.  Next time I think I would throw a bell pepper in there instead.  So what started as a ma-po tofu, looked so similar to a pasta sauce with an Asian flair.   I had some left over pasta in the fridge so I served the sauce on top.  I think on a bed of rice, it would be quite delicious too.

1 zucchini sliced = 0.75$
pasta for 2 people = 0.75$
1 block of tofu crumbled = 0.93$
1 tablespoon of gochujian = 0.35$
1 clove of garlic = 0.05$
1 tablespoon of ginger = 0.05$
1 1/2 tablespoon of soy sauce = 0.05$
1 tablespoon of hot chili sauce = 0.10$
water = free
1 tablespoon of olive oil = 0.09$
1 tablespoon of corn starch = 0.05$
1 1/2 tablespoon of fermented black beans, soaked and then drained = 0.25$

Total = 3.42$
serves 2

Cook pasta according to directions on the bag.
Mix gochujian, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, chili sauce, together with some hot water (1/8 cup) to dilute the gochujian.  Pour it over the crumbled tofu.
In a pan, heat some oil and fry the tofu for a 1 to 2 minutes.
Add the black bean to the pan, fry it for another 2 to 3 minutes.
Add the sliced zucchini and cook until preferred tenderness of the veggy.
Mix some cold water (1/4 cup) with the corn starch and pour it over the tofu and toss until the cornstarch thickens the dish.  
Serve with pasta.

Lots of the prices are just guess work.  As I don't really measure anything when I cook, except for baking.  In the picture there's some asparagus, they are left over from another meal.  Probably cost another 0.35$ or so.


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