didally.com
Of Food and perhaps a little about me
April 9, 2008 at 3:22 pm
· Filed under Recipes: Appetizers
What’s your favorite cold dish? Cold dish usually reminds me cold crabs, cold soba noodles and the first dish in every Chinese wedding banquet. I wonder why the first dish is called the Cold Dish (冷盘) though some of the items in the dish consists of deep fried spring rolls, braised duck, etc.. and they are not really served chilled.
How about some peanut butter with cold tofu? This is a dish B often had when he was still staying with his family. It’s like a family dish. He calls it the 陈家私房菜 (The Chen’s Secret Recipes). So naturally, shortly after we got married, he promised to whip up some of his family’s ‘special’ dishes. And he made me waited for a good one and a half years before I got to savor this. Although along the way, he did cooked some other dishes like their Foochow Red Wine Chicken(红糟鸡), Mee Sua in Rich Hua Teow Wine Soup with Egg (蛋面线)… Wait… I think that’s about it!
His family seems to like peanut butter. He once made for me his regular lunch at home, peanut butter noodles. I was skeptical about the taste. And I didn’t quite stomach this well. The noodles was cloyingly dry with the peanut butter sauce. After a few mouthful, I said, “No, thanks. I’ll stick to my instant noodles.” And I happily slurped up my curry instant noodles. And that was the first time he cooked something for me. Okay, I know it’s my bad, but I couldn’t make myself chomp down the sticky dry noodles.
So how did the cold tofu with peanut butter sauce fare? Excellent!! Although my first try on the peanut butter noodles was pretty bad, but this definitely works for me. It’s really easy to make and comforting to eat. The ingredients and steps are simple. You can adjust the amount of seasoning according to your own taste bud. The below recipe is just a guide. If you prefer it to be more salty, then add more soy sauce. Like it more watery, add more hot water.
Cold Tofu with Peanut Butter Sauce Dressing
topped with Pork Floss and Century egg
Serves 2
1 silky tofu (standard size packed tofu from supermarket)
1 century egg (diced or cut into wedges)
2 tbsp pork floss
1 tbsp creamy peanut butter
sesame oil
½ tbsp light soy sauce
½ cup of hot water
spring onion for garnish (optional)
Remove tofu from container and wash it clean under slow running water. Drain well and place it on a plate. Chill it in the refrigerator. You can prepare this half an hour ahead.
To prepare the dressing, mix peanut butter sauce with hot water. You can add the water bit by bit and stir until the desired consistency. Next, add light soy sauce and a dash of sesame oil. Taste and season according to your preferred taste.
Pour the peanut butter dressing over the tofu, topped with pork floss and century egg. Garnish with chopped spring onions and serve.
We loved to mash and mix up all the ingredients in the plate before tucking in. If you ever try making this dish, let me know how it goes for you.
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noobcook wrote @ April 9th, 2008 at 4:07 pm
omg, this looks sooo good! And 100 points for originality too!!
you are so fortunate that your hub cook for you, plus they aren’t easy dishes! Mine only know how to eat, lol
I actually felt kinda errie after reading this because I just had my noodles tossed in pork floss and sesame butter posted!!!! Tahini was just an alternative to peanut butter. If I had used peanut butter, then it would have been…almost bingo!
I don’t really eat tofu, cold from the pack but this sounds easy. Similar to those Japanese cold tofu dressed in mashed century eggs and soy sauce.
ovenhaven wrote @ April 11th, 2008 at 4:52 pm
This sounds so interesting! I’ve never heard of peanut butter sauce in dishes before, and you’ve most certainly got me intrigued. Does it give the tofu a prominent salty peanut butter taste?
The trick to using peanut butter is that you have to mix it with something less viscous. That’s why it’s usually followed by the words “satay sauce”. I’ve had peanut satay sauce with cold noodles and it is DELISH.
Will definitely try this tofu recipe!
thoo2 wrote @ April 14th, 2008 at 12:27 am
cool, thanks for the kind-of-weird peanut butter sauce, looks very creative, haha. will try this tofu recipe soon….
didally wrote @ April 14th, 2008 at 11:20 am
noobcook: My hub cooks only once in a while. Very simple dishes like this, which don’t require cooking, just assemble together. 
tigerfish: Yes, it’s similar to those Japanese cold tofu. What a coincidence with your post. 
ovenhaven: Not very salty, it’s abit of sweetness from the peanut butter. You can have it more salty by adding more soy sauce.
TheSassyChef: Perhaps I have to find a way to dilute the sauce to mix with the noodles so that they will not dry up halfway through. But I seriously don’t have the courage to try the noodles again. Haha…
thoo2: Thanks for dropping by. Do try it, it’s really easy. Let me know how it goes if you ever try making it. 
Hannah wrote @ April 15th, 2008 at 4:20 am
My family always gives me odd looks when I eat cold tofu like this, but hey, I love it! Very refreshing on hot, summer days. I usually just go with plain old soy sauce and spring onions, a peanut sauce sounds like a great variation too.
didally wrote @ April 19th, 2008 at 12:21 am
Hi Hannah, I agree! Tofu is already very good with just the plain old soy sauce and spring onions. And those are home-grown spring onions!
omg didally, ur pics are always so nice!! love them!
never tasted peanut butter with tofu combi but would love to try them! hehe
didally wrote @ April 24th, 2008 at 12:07 pm
Thanks for your kind words Jaime. Do try it out, it’s not too bad.
Nilmandra wrote @ April 25th, 2008 at 6:15 am
I’m not a fan of peanut butter, but I must admit the pork floss and century caught my attention immediately from the photo - I love them 
Mmm it’s time to have cold tofu again I think. I like mine with chopped shitake and spring onions, sauteed in a little soy sauce, oyster sauce and then drizzled over the tofu with some sesame oil.
Jessica wrote @ April 28th, 2008 at 1:56 am
Wow that looks great! I love the pictures too!
didally wrote @ May 4th, 2008 at 10:27 pm
Nilmandra: Even without the peanut butter sauce, this dish is very good with just century egg, pork floss and some soy sauce.
Jessica: Thanks!
I just found your site through NoobCook. Great site you have here and this recipe is really unique! I think I will be a regular here soon
Cheryl wrote @ May 22nd, 2008 at 9:59 pm
Hi,
I chanced upon your blog while searching for some recipes. Thank you for sharing this recipe. I shall try this weekend.
[…] Below is just a simple dish B taught me. I never had pork belly eaten this way. It’s one of the 陈家私房菜. You can replace them with lean meat. It is light and simple to whip up, yet still satisfying for […]
didally wrote @ May 25th, 2008 at 1:42 am
pablopabla: Thanks for dropping by. Glad that you find this recipe unique. Do give it a try.
Cheryl: Do update me after you’re done with this dish?
mona wrote @ July 4th, 2008 at 5:32 pm
My family and I love this dish.
Thanks for putting this up. I’ve made it 3 times since I read this recipe.
didally wrote @ July 11th, 2008 at 12:57 pm
Hi mona, glad that you and your family like this dish.
Mandy wrote @ July 21st, 2008 at 10:00 pm
beautiful dish. and I like all the component in it. This is exactly what I need to make, in the hot summer days. You have a nice blog.
didally wrote @ July 22nd, 2008 at 1:14 am
Hi Mandy, let me know the outcome if you do make it. Thanks, you take very nice pictures and I really like your bakes.
Dhi wrote @ August 9th, 2008 at 1:12 am
That looks absolutely delish.
The peanut butter dressing that we’re used to is added with bits of fried slice garlic, chili, palm sugar and a few drops of lime juice - so it doesn’t taste too much like peanut butter sandwich. Some people even add boiled kumara, mashed and mixed in to give consistency. Just delicious!
Oh, I’d like to invite you to join the food photo contest. Please have a look here for more info
http://cookingetcetera.wordpress.com/2008/07/07/red-white-foodie-photo-contest/
There’re some prizes for the lucky winners
didally wrote @ August 11th, 2008 at 3:06 pm
Dhi, your version of peanut butter dressing sounds much more delicious. Thanks for the inviting!
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