Friday, May 27, 2011

“Jai” (Mixed Vegetables in fermented red beancurd)

My mum get requests from us to make this vegetarian dish rather often because we love the taste and find that even if we eat a lot, we don’t feel “Lau” (stuffed). Moreover it is a one dish meal that is very quick and simple to cook.  A bowl of fragrance white rice topped up with “Jai” and soaked in the gravy is all we need for a satisfying meal. As for me, I prefer to eat it with lots of chilli padi (birds chilli) in soy sauce.

Although we eat this quite often, we never get tired of it. In fact, on the first day of each Chinese New Year, my mum will cook a huge pot of “Jai” to serve family and friends who come visit us. They all love it and I have yet to see any of them to stop at one bowl. That’s the reason why a HUGE pot is necessary. Do not worry about left overs because this dish taste better as it aged.









Ingredients:


½ kg Chinese Cabbage
6 cubes of fermented red beancurd (nam yu)
10 shitaki mushrooms (soaked till soft and squeezed dry)
5 florets of wood ear fungus -
(soaked for 30 mins and drained)
5 florets of cloud ear fungus -
(soaked for 30 mins and drained)
3 tsp sugar
2 tbp oil
2 cubes bullion, vegetable stock



Method:
Fry red beancurd in oil till fragrant.  Add Cabbage and stir till it is soft.  Add button mushrooms, shitaki mushrooms, and stir fry for 1 minute.  Add water till it is ½ inches above the vegetables.  Add sugar and vegetable stock and bring it to boil.  Turn down heat and let it stew for about ½ hour or till the cabbage is limp. 

36 comments:

  1. It's looks delicious - and filling - AND healthy!

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  2. Feel like finishing that bowl,yumm!

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  3. My mom is a vegetarian and this is our favourite dish to order if we go to non-vegetarian restaurants for dinner.. but they mainly use white fu yu instead of red..

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  4. You always post the best recipes..I cant wait to try this one :)

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  5. It looks great! Can't wait to try it.

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  6. Looks perfect with a bowl of steaming hot plain rice. Yum!

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  7. This is simple to prepare and yet delicious :) I can have 2 bowls of rice with just this...maybe it is the fu yee that makes the cabbage flavorful :)

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  8. I love this dish too, Quay Po! I'm still waiting for my mom to teach me how to make her version. Although by the sounds of your recipe, it sounds very similar. I only recently found out that this was made with nam yu. For the longest time I thought it was made with fu yu. Your Mom's version looks delicious. I agree, top this over rice and I'm satisfied. Who needs meat when veggies taste this good. Thanks for sharing this recipe.

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  9. Gotta try! I know I'll like it,hope to convince my son who's not keen on white cabbage.

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  10. This is an all time favourite for all seasons!

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  11. I just bought a package of red bean curd, so I'm excited to try your yummy looking dish!

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  12. I love a gopod vegetarian option and this does look delicious. I am not sure where to find fermented red bean curd - posibly in one of the Asian markets. Many thanks for your visit and your kind words. They were much appreciated. I have been remiss in making the rounds...

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  13. ahhh... yes! I love this! sometimes, i even add the fermented beancurd.

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  14. Agreed with cheah, it's all time favourite.

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  15. Delicious healthy dish! I can just eat this for a meal!

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  16. I love Chai Choy too. Can never get tired of it.

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  17. I like to make this during the CNY. Yours looks good.

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  18. Delicious and awesome soup. Love to try that one.

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  19. This is one of my favorite CNY dishes. I never get tired of it :)

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  20. your a family of good cooks, looks great

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  21. Yum :) Just a perfect bowl !

    New to ur space and a Happy New Follower :)

    Do visit me space as time permits
    http://comeletseat.blogspot.com

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  22. Oh I want to try this...and with rice and soy sauce, delectable!

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  23. looks good I haven't heard of some of these name of the ingredients interesting thank you for sharing
    check out the event in my site
    http://torviewtoronto.blogspot.com/2011/05/food-palette-series-purple.html

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  24. wat a fantastic recipe..tempting clicks..
    first time here...love your space...nice recipes with great content..
    Am your happy follower now..:)
    do stop by mine sometime..

    Tasty Appetite
    Event: Letz Relishh Ice Creams

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  25. my all time favorite,one of the best vegetarian dish.
    sometimes I add fried bean curd ( fu chook)and stew until soft.

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  26. My mum never makes anything like this :( haha...it sounds really good! I love recipes which you can never get sick of :D

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  27. love this simple chai! and love your new header with a lovely family photo.

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  28. This is really perfect for me because I am trying to lose weight.Thanks a lot for sharing.I cant wait to try this.

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  29. What an interesting combination of ingredients; would love to try this. Thank you for your visit.
    Rita

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  30. I must give this a try it looks delicious. Diane

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  31. Belinda: thanks for dropping by and your kind words.

    Priya: I know you will want more than a bowl. It is very delicious but not filling.

    Swee San: I am sure this is the best dish to order in a non-vegetarian restaurant for your mum. We seldom order this dish when we eat out so I did not know they mainly use white fu yu. I have eaten this in a friend's house one time "chai" with that but I prefer my mum's version better.

    David: I hope it is not hard for you to find the ingredients.

    Rosaria: Do return to let me know how you like it.

    Shaz: You bet!

    Elin: Did you mean the Nam yu? My mum did not use fu yu but I know I can have to bowl of rice with just fu yu stand alone.. hehe

    LeQuan: Please share your Mum's version. I am always curious to try the taste of a different variation of "Chai"..

    Keats: I know a few of my friend who do not like white cabbage. I am the opposite, I love it.

    Cheah: Agree totally.

    yummychunklet, magic of spice: so this recipe is timely for you my dear:D

    Claudia: You are most welcome. I thought of you so I paid a visit. Hope you find the nam yu in the Asian market and try this dish out.

    daphne, Jeannie, Swathi: Like Cheah said it is an all time favorite.

    yummylittlecooks: I am with you.

    Reese: I find this dish addicting.

    Little Corner of mine, Biren: Make it all year round plus CNY.

    Rebecca: Thanks, we love good food but cannot claim to be good cooks but appreciate the compliment.

    Mehjabeen: Many thanks for the following. I went to your blog. You have lots of yummy recipes.

    Torviewtoronto: It is always good to catch up with you. The event is interesting. I am looking through my recipes and see if there is any purple food.

    Jay: Many thanks for your visit and comment. Just went to check out your blog and bookmarked the corn fritters recipe.

    Amelia: Oh yes, my mum add fu chuk occasionally too.

    Von: Welcome to my blog and thanks for your comment. Maybe you can try making this yourself and see if you like the taste.

    Sonia: Thanks for your compliment on my new header. I love it better than the old one.

    Marelie: For sure this is a dish that do not put in much calorie.

    Lois: I wonder if it is hard for you to get the ingredients to try this dish.

    Rita: you are welcome. I thought of you that day so I paid you the visit. Do return to let me know how you like the taste after you try the dish.

    Diane: Hope it is not too difficult for you to find Nam yu at your end.

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  32. On my list. Can't wait to taste it!

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    Replies
    1. OMG, I have missed your comment. Hope you have tried this recipe and enjoy it.

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  33. one of my all time fave vegetarian dishes. i tried it this year but it kinda failed coz my fuchuk (beancurd skin) wasn't soft enough despite cooking it for almost 2 minutes:-(

    gong hei fatt choy!

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    1. I guess you might to put in the fuchuk earlier the next time and cook longer. My mum seldom use fuchuk in her "jai":D

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