Happy New Year

Happy New Year ya'll. What a whirlwind 2006 was. I have a gut feeling 2007 will be a year to remember as well. I'm going on at least 2 trips away from home, getting married, and trying to survive the "sophomore slump" 2nd year of my business. Whew I'm getting tired just thinking about it.

This year's celebration was pretty low-key -- just me and my parents. My parents offered to make anything to eat this night and I requested my favorite...my dad's very own MaPo Tofu recipe. For the benefit of my readers (you know who you are), I've taken pictures and tried to remember the recipe for you guys.

Keep in mind this whole process takes my dad under 5 minutes to make this whole dish. So while I'm busy cranking out the photos, I am only going by memory here what's thrown into this thing. Forget about the measurements for these things because he just eyeballs everything. You're going to have to do your own trial-and-error to find out how to make this.

He starts off with the meat. Here he's cutting up chicken. Usually he uses ground pork. This time he pulls out chicken and tells me it's the "better white meat." I guess it all tastes the same but personally I like pork. Either way you're supposed to cut it with bigger chunks because of the texture.

Garlic. He used 2 cloves. Smashed it with the flat end of his huge ass cleaver, and diced it. Threw it unto this giant wok and seared it to golden brown. Is that "searing"? Remember I'm a non-cook here so my terminology might be off. Basically just cook the buggah until golden brown but don't burn 'em.

OK so you toss the meat into the pan with the garlic and you cook that up a little. Don't stir it too hard because you want it to be chunky and bind up a bit. Don't overcook it as well.

Now you get the SOFT tofu (don't get the regular tofu, it has to be the soft one), and you dice them up into the wok. Yeah my dad does it the fancy way with the cleaver action on the hands. If you chop your fingers off in this method don't blame me.

Same thing with the tofu. Don't stir that sucker too hard because you don't want it to fall apart on you, then you'll just get white oatmeal mush.


Add the green onion.

Soy Sauce,

One red chili,

Some salt. Some sugar. God knows how much. You see that spoon? That much.

Black pepper.

Fresh ground white pepper.

And then finally some starch to thicken it up a bit.

That's it. You got yourself a smackin' good dish of MaPo tofu a-la-baddass Lowe family style. Forget the stuff at restaurants this shit is the best. Look at that............mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. Shit I'm hungry again.

Yes I realize my recipe here is probably not going to tell you how to make this. Perhaps in another year I'll get the actual measurements next time.

Happy New Year everyone.