"SHRIMP AND TOFU IN ORANGE-HOISIN SAUCE"

My friend Delia told me she likes cooking Tofu, and is asking for a new simple recipe. Ok Del, here is one easy recipe for you, with your favorite Tofu, my favorite shrimp and oranges that are very much in season now.

I usually use hard tofu because I know that for people who are not used to eating this (like my husband), it would be difficult to appreciate the soft and mushy texture of the softer tofu.

[CHICHAYS KITCHEN: If you want to introduce tofu to somebody who has never tried it before, I suggest you par-cook the tofu before using it in your cooking (cut it into cubes, or slice it, and then brown it in olive oil, and pat-dry it with a paper towel to remove excess oil. This will give it a chewy texture, thus will blend well with the texture of your meat dishes and veggies, and you do not have to worry about it becoming soggy once cooked.]

I will post more tofu dishes in the future. You'll be surprised how versatile this protein-rich ingredient is, and you can use it in many dishes as a meat extender, or as a meat alternative.

You will also notice in my recent recipes, I used a lot of fresh orange juice. This is because my mother-in-law's orange tree bears a lot of really nice fruits... I just can't stop eating them, and I thought of using the really ripe ones for my cooking to take advantage of this sweet fruit while it's in season.

(If you want some freshly-picked oranges, call me! )

-CHICHAY

---------------------

"SHRIMP AND TOFU IN ORANGE-HOISIN SAUCE"

What You Need:

• 10 pcs medium-sized shrimps, peeled and cleaned
• 2 blocks hard tofu
• juice from 2 ripe oranges
• 1 tbsp Hoisin sauce (can be substituted with oyster sauce)
• 1/2 small onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 medium-sized tomato, quartered
• 1 tbsp chopped cilantro
• 2 tsp cornstarch dissolved in 1 tbsp water
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• salt and pepper to taste.

Prep:

-Drain the tofu and place in a strainer, and put something heavy on top of the tofu pieces, and leave then to drain more for about 10 minutes.

-Squeeze the juice from the orange, mix in the Hoisin sauce with the orange juice, and marinate the shrimps in this mixture for about 10 minutes.

-Strain the marinade from the shrimps, and set these aside.

How To:

-Heat up the olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat.

-Add in the tofu pieces (make sure there is enough space for each piece to cook well), fry these for about 1 minute each side. Make sure all sides of the cubes are a little browned.

-Transfer the cooked tofu pieces in a strainer and set aside.

-In the same pan, saute the onions and garlic until softened, and stir in the tomatoes, a quick stir is enough.

-Add in the reserved marinade from the shrimp, cornstarch and water mix, and the cooked tofu, stir well. Lower the heat and let this simmer for about 5-7 minutes.

-Add in the shrimps and sesame oil, keep stirring for about 5 minutes, or until the shrimps are cooked.

-Once cooked, taste the sauce, season with salt and pepper if needed, stir in the chopped cilantro, and serve.