New Asian Cuisine
Welcoming Spring with Fast, Simple Asian Recipes
Mapo Tofu
Courtesy of Periplus Editors
Serves 2
Preparation time: 20 mins
Cooking time: 20 mins

1 cake (10 oz/300 g) soft tofu, cubed
2 tablespoons oil
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 small chili pepper, deseeded and thinly sliced
1 tablespoon hot bean paste (see note)
2 tablespoons pickled mustard cabbage (gai choy),
chopped (optional)
1 teaspoon wine
1/4 cup (60 ml) chicken or vegetable stock
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup (80 g) diced bell pepper
2 teaspoons cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 green onion (scallion), thinly sliced, to garnish
1 Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil. Blanch the diced tofu for about 4 minutes. Rinse and drain.
2 Heat the oil in a wok and stir-fry the garlic and chili for about 1 minute. Add the broad bean paste and
stir-fry until aromatic, about 1 more minute, then stir in the pickled mustard cabbage.
3 Pour in the wine, then add the chicken or vegetable stock, soy sauce, sugar and pepper, then mix to
combine. Add the tofu and bell pepper, stirring carefully, then simmer over low heat for 2 minutes.
4 Add the cornstarch mixture and stir gently until the sauce thickens. Sprinkle with the sesame oil and
serve hot, garnished with the chopped green onions.

Hot bean paste (do ban jian or toban djan), or chili bean sauce, is a Sichuan-style chili sauce made from
chilies and fermented black beans. It is used to add heat to cooked dishes or as a dipping sauce.
Mapo Tofu
Courtesy of Periplus Editors
Eggplant Sushi Rolls
Nasu no Battera-Zushi

1 tablespoon white sesame seeds, freshly dry-roasted, optional
11/2 cups Classic Sushi Rice
1/4 cup shreds oboro kombu or several gauzy pieces tororo kombu (optional)
1 teaspoon wasabi paste
Soy sauce for dipping (optional)

Prepare the eggplants: In a bowl, dissolve the salt in the water. Trim away the sepals and slice each
eggplant in half lengthwise. Arrange the 4 halves, flat side down, on the cutting board, and slice each half
in half holding the knife so that the flat side of the blade is parallel to the cutting board. This will yield 8
slices, each about 1/4 inch thick. You will have 4 slices with dark skin on one of their sides, and 4 pale
yellow slices rimmed with dark skin. Slip the slices into the warm salted water and top with an otoshi-
buta or flat plate (avoid a metal lid) to keep them submerged. Allow the eggplant to soak for at least 10
minutes or up to 1 hour. The liquid may turn brown, but the eggplant slices should not darken.

Drain the eggplant, rinse under cold water, drain again, and press lightly to remove excess moisture. Pat
the eggplant dry with paper towels.

Warm the sesame oil over medium heat in a skillet large enough to hold the 8 eggplant slices in a single
layer. When the oil is aromatic (about 30 seconds), place the 4 slices with the dark skin, skin side down,
in the skillet and sear until the deep purple color becomes more vivid, about 1 minute. Add the remaining
slices to the skillet. Use the otoshi-buta or a broad, flexible spatula to press the slices so they sear evenly
(the flesh may brown a bit). Flip the slices after 1 minute, then press again to ensure even contact with
the skillet surface. Sear for another minute.

In a shallow glass baking dish large enough to hold the eggplant slices in 2 layers, mix together 2
tablespoons of the soy sauce and 1 tablespoon of the stock. Lay the still-warm eggplant slices in the
marinade, arranging the pieces with dark skin on top. Ideally the eggplant will be barely covered with the
marinade; if need be, add a few more drops of soy sauce or stock. Allow the eggplant to marinate for 10
minutes while you shape the rice.

Season and shape the rice: Sprinkle the sesame seeds over the sushi rice and, using a shamoji, toss well to
distribute evenly, using light folding and cutting motions. Moisten your fingers and palms with water to
keep the rice from sticking to them, then divide the rice into 4 portions (about 1/3 cup each). Coax each
portion into a 4-inch-long loglike cylinder. Set the cylinders aside on a flat plate, and cover with a damp
cloth and/or plastic wrap until ready to use.

Assemble the rolls: Lay a sudarÄ, smooth side up, on a clean, dry work surface, arranging the mat so the
slats run horizontally. If only one edge is tasseled, position it farthest away from you. Set a small bowl
of water to the side of your work area. You will need to moisten your fingers and palms with water often
to keep the rice from sticking to them.

Cover the entire mat area with plastic wrap. In the center of the mat, horizontally align 2 eggplant slices,
1 with dark skin, 1 without. Place the slice with dark skin farthest from you; lay the slice rimmed in dark
skin parallel to the first slice, closer to you.

If you want to enhance the briny flavor of this dish, place a few pieces of oboro kombu over the
eggplant. A little bit will go a long way in enhancing the flavor; too much will overwhelm the dish.
Place 1 rice cylinder over the eggplant. With moistened fingers, gently press and slightly flatten the rice,
spreading it to cover the eggplant. Place your thumbs under the near corners of the slatted mat. Hold the
edges of the plastic wrap in place by pinching with your index fingers. (This will leave three fingers
“free” on each hand to hold the eggplant in place as you lift and roll away from you.) Lift up the edges of
the mat and flip it over the rice; several inches of rice should be visible after flipping.

With one hand, hold the top flap of the mat in place while tugging back slightly on the rolled portion of
the mat. This will ensure that the eggplant is snugly enclosed. Continue to roll, lifting up the top of the
mat and gently pushing the sushi away from you at the same time. When the roll is complete, twist the
plastic wrap closed at the right and left sides to ensure a snug log shape. Set the roll aside and shape the
remaining 3 rolls. The rolls should sit, seam side down, for a few moments before you slice them.

Slice the rolls: You will need a very sharp knife, preferably pointed and with a blade at least 6 inches
long. To prevent sticking, you will need to wipe the blade clean after every stroke. Have a tightly wrung,
damp, low-lint kitchen towel next to your cutting board for this purpose. The blade of your knife will
also need to be “lubricated” with a few drops of water before each cut, so have a small bowl of water
nearby. When it is time to cut, dip the point of the knife blade into the water, then lift up the blade so
the water dribbles down its sides. If the blade is too wet, swipe it lightly across the towel to absorb
some of the moisture.

Set 1 finished roll, still wrapped in plastic wrap, parallel to the long edge of your cutting board. Place
your sudarÄ loosely over the roll, aligning it so that about 3/4 inch of the roll is visible. Use the edge of
the mat to guide the placement of your knife and to distribute pressure as you slice through the roll. The
cut is made as the blade is pushed away from you, ideally in a single stroke without flexing your wrist.
To cut completely through the roll, you may need to realign your blade a couple of times, especially if
the blade is short. Avoid sawing motions. Instead, apply no pressure as you pull the blade back toward
you before slicing away again. After the final stroke slicing away, draw the tip of the knife blade toward
you to separate the slice. Try to avoid wrist-flexing, elbow-rocking motions, as they tend to tear the
rolls. Then, as directed above, wipe the knife clean after each slice, and moisten the blade before cutting
the next slice.

When the entire roll has been sliced, remove and discard the plastic wrap from each slice. Dab a small
amount of wasabi on each piece of sushi. Think stingy: too heavy a hand will mask the delicate flavor of
the eggplant.

Serve at room temperature with soy sauce for dipping, if you like. The rolls themselves have a complex
and balanced flavor of salty, sweet, and sour, making the soy sauce unnecessary.
Kansha: Celebrating Japan’s Vegan and Vegetarian Tradition
by Elizabeth Andoh

makes 4 rolls; 24 bite-size pieces
Scant 1 teaspoon salt
21/2 cups water
2 large Japanese eggplants, each about 4 inches long and 5 ounces
Scant 1 teaspoon aromatic sesame oil
2 to 3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 to 2 tablespoons stock, preferably Basic Kelp Stock

[Posted thru New Asian Cuisine with permission from Kansha:
Celebrating Japan’s Vegan and Vegetarian Traditions by
Elizabeth Andoh, copyright © 2010. Published by Ten Speed
Press, a division of Random House, Inc.]