Diced Chicken with Spicy Fermented Tofu

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Fermented beancurd is good stuff. It’s gotta be. Otherwise, it wouldn’t have survived war, peace, and technological upheavals for more than 2,000 years.

Fermented beancurd is salty, creamy, aromatic, umami. It may be used as a seasoning, or eaten as it is with porridge or rice.

Tired of salting meat with soya sauce, oyster sauce, fish sauce, and plain old salt?

Try fermented beancurd. It’s tofu that’s preserved in brine, along with wine, sesame oil, and spices as seasoning.

There’re two main types of fermented tofu: red and white. The red one has red yeast rice added for fermentation. The white one doesn’t. It’s very salty, while the red one is a bit sweet.

Fermented white beancurd comes in two flavours: regular and (mildly) spicy. I usually go for the latter. 

If you like chicken, and if you like fermented beancurd, you’d like chicken stir-fried with fermented beancurd. I’m sure of that, like I’m sure your mother is a woman.

Diced Chicken with Spicy Fermented Tofu

Chicken is kind of bland, right? Pair it with strong flavours! Spicy fermented tofu, Shaoxing wine, chillies, plus lots of aromatic spring onions, garlic, and ginger. Stir-fry with sesame oil, over high heat to get the Maillard reaction going. And then you will inhale this chicken stir-fry, with a bowl of rice . . . or two.
5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Chinese
Servings 4
Calories 266 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 400 g boneless chicken leg

Marinade

  • 1½ tbsp white fermented tofu pickling liquid
  • ⅓ tsp salt
  • ½ tbsp sugar
  • 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine
  • 1½ tbsp water

Stir-fry

  • 1 tbsp white sesame oil
  • 1 piece thumb-size ginger thinly sliced
  • 3 cloves garlic thinly sliced
  • 3 bird's eye chillies thinly sliced adjust to taste
  • 3 sprigs spring onion (white part) cut 1 cm long
  • 30 g white fermented tofu mashed
  • 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine
  • 3 tbsp water
  • 3 sprigs spring onion (green part) cut 1 cm long
  • ¼ tsp white sesame oil

Instructions
 

Marinate chicken

  • Wash chicken and drain. Dry with paper towels. Dice 2cm.
    400 g boneless chicken leg
  • Add tofu pickling liquid, salt, sugar, wine, and water to chicken. Mix till liquid is fully absorbed. Marinate for 10-15 minutes.
    1½ tbsp white fermented tofu pickling liquid, ⅓ tsp salt, ½ tbsp sugar, 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine, 1½ tbsp water

Stir-fry

  • In a wok or frying pan, heat white sesame oil till very hot.
    1 tbsp white sesame oil
  • Add ginger and stir-fry over high heat till lightly golden. Add garlic, chillies, and spring onions (white part). Stir-fry till garlic is also lightly golden. Add fermented tofu and stir-fry till fragrant.
    1 piece thumb-size ginger thinly sliced, 3 cloves garlic thinly sliced, 3 bird's eye chillies thinly sliced, 3 sprigs spring onion (white part) cut 1 cm long, 30 g white fermented tofu mashed
  • Add chicken and stir-fry till wok is very hot. Drizzle with wine and stir through. Drizzle with 1 tbsp water. Stir through again. Add 2 tbsp water and continue stirring – a few minutes would do – till chicken is just cooked (totally opaque and firm), and sauce is reduced and slightly thickened. Or leave sauce a bit watery if not eating within 10 minutes, because it thickens as it sits.
    1 tbsp Shaoxing wine, 3 tbsp water
  • Taste and if necessary adjust seasoning. Turn off heat.
  • Sprinkle with spring onions (green part). Stir through. Sprinkle with ¼ tsp sesame oil. Plate and serve immediately.
    ¼ tsp white sesame oil, 3 sprigs spring onion (green part) cut 1 cm long