Braised Tofu Strips

Steps

▶ Tap a timecode to jump to roughly that moment in the video.

1. 1
   Wash the dried tofu and kelp. Bring a pot of water to a boil, blanch the tofu for about 4 minutes to open its pores for better flavor absorption, then blanch the kelp separately for 2 minutes and drain.
   ▶ ≈0:20
2. 2
   Put the blanched tofu into the pot along with the fried tofu puffs and cleaned dried shiitake mushrooms, then add all the spices (star anise, cinnamon bark, Sichuan peppercorns, white peppercorns). Pour in the soy sauce, Huadiao wine, chili bean paste, sugar, garlic, and cold water, and bring to a boil over medium heat.
   ▶ ≈0:33
3. 3
   Once boiling, reduce to low heat and simmer for 5 minutes to let the alcohol evaporate. Add the kelp on top of everything without fully submerging it, flipping it once to coat with sauce — this keeps it from becoming too soft.
   ▶ ≈0:46
4. 4
   Turn the heat to the lowest setting, cover, and simmer for 50 minutes. After turning off the heat, let it rest for about 2 hours, then refrigerate overnight to let the flavors fully develop.
   ▶ ≈0:52
5. 5
   The next day, let the pot come back to room temperature before reheating to boiling, to avoid cracking the cookware from a sudden temperature change. While reheating, flip the kelp again and cook for about 3 minutes so it stays crisp-tender; the tofu and fried tofu puffs will be fully flavored by now.
   ▶ ≈0:58
6. 6
   Slice the kelp and tofu, arrange on a plate, sprinkle with chopped scallions or cilantro, drizzle with a little of the braising sauce, and serve.
   ▶ ≈1:11