My Grandma and Her Pickled Tofu

Pickled tofu used to be a warm companion to our breakfast, especially when my grandmother was part of this morning ritual. We would all sit there enjoying our simple congee cooked with sweet tapioca - the way my grandmother loved it. Sometimes we also had salted eggs and fish steamed in black soya beans, but sometimes we didn't. Simply congee with pickled tofu. As plain as it was, we all truly enjoyed it and never complained a word.

While recently researched for my blog, I stumbled upon a Thai Chinese cooking book and it comprised one of the most interesting recipes catching my attention. That was Fried chicken in pickled tofu. That brought back my memory of our kitchen filled with my siblings' laughters and my grandmother's voice. How I miss her!

Grandma, in Heaven you are.... this dish is dedicated to you!

FRIED CHICKEN IN PICKED TOFU
Serves 3 persons

Ingredients:
- Chicken breast - cut into moderate pieces > 250 grams
- Pickled tofu > 1 1/2 pieces
- Water > 1 tablespoon
- Black mushrooms > 50 grams- Water > 1 tablespoon
- Yellow chilly - slice small > 2
- Garlic - peel, chop small > 8 cloves
- Vegetable oil > 2 tablespoons
- Red chilly - slice lengthwise > 1
- Green chilly - slice lengthwise > 1
- Squid/fish sauce - 1 tablespoon
- Granulated sugar > 1/2 tablespoon
- Thai basil - pluck leaves from stalk > 1 stalk


pickled tofu

Method:
- Dissolve pickled tofu in 1 tablespoon of water.
- Ground yellow chilly and garlic until fine.
- Saute grounded chilly and garlic in vegetable oil until fragrant. Add chicken meat and black mushrooms. Fry until cooked.
- Fold in dilluted pickled tofu, red and green chilly slices. Finally spice up by adding squid/fish sauce and granulated sugar.
- Before remove from fire, fold in Thai basil leaves.
- Serve.