Stir Fried Kangkong With Fermented Tofu 南乳炒蕹菜

With news of Melbourne's temperature predicted to top 43 degrees C tomorrow, my appetite has sunk together with my eagerness to shop and cook. Something easy and light to go with rice might be the right answer since it has been declared a total fire ban as well, there goes the idea of having yet another bbq.

Have a look at kangkong fried with sambal belacan  I posted a while back if fermented tofu doesn't sound too appealing to you, but you'll be surprised with the taste and vesatility of this humble condiment.

Fermented tofu comes enhanced with chili oil, sesame oil, chili flakes or vinegar, my favourite is one fermented with red yeast rice. Apart from being used in stir fried and braised meat dishes; it is wonderful as a marinate for meat and poultry or even tofu before deep fried, or just have it as it is with rice and porridge. Do pick up a bottle of this gem next time you are at your Asian grocer and I'll be posting the different ways of using this ingredient very soon.

P.S Good news to my vegetarian friends, it also adds the wonderful umami flavour soy alone can't deliver in a vegetarian stir fry. Butterhead and cos lettuce is equally delicious cooked this way!

serves 2 to 4 as part of a Chinese meal

you'll need;

3 bunches of kankong, washed and cut into 3" length

2 cloves of garlic, chopped

3 red chilies, sliced

2 cubes of red fermented tofu, mashed

2 tbs of oyster sauce (or mushroom sauce for a vegetarian version)

1 tsp of sugar

dash of Chinese cooking wine

dash of soy

dash of sesame oil

salt and white pepper to taste

Cleaned and cut kangkong

In a hot wok, saute garlic and chilies with a little oil, add fermented tofu and fry til fragrant. Add the stems and fry for a minute on high heat follow by the tender leaves and seasonings. Sprinkle a little water if it is too dry and taste for seasonings.

Serve hot with plenty of steamed rice.